One To Beat

Four For Grant

Fairview 26th May: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway at Monday’s poly track meeting and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo FASCINATING FILLY. Initially priced up favourite (22/10 out to 3/1 2ndfav), Alan Greeff’s charge was always handy. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the running on FOREST NYMPH by two and a quarter. As per usual slow into stride, the runner up had raced detached at the rear and did well to get as close as she did.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1300m and the fastest of these was the MR68 Handicap won by UNTAMED. Racing off a mark some eleven points lower than that of her best, the former Cape Town campaigner raced prominent throughout. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and after quickly going clear won well from the running on RUSH TO STARDOM.
The biggest winning margin on the card was recorded by BLACK BALLADEER in the maiden 2200m. The best bet on the card for many, Grant Paddock’s charge found good support at the track and eventually left the stalls in the red at 19/20. Another to race handy, Black Balladeer struck the front early in the straight and coasted clear over the final 400m to score by five and a half.
Trainer Grant Paddock saddled four winners in total, amongst them RED SILVANO in the MR72 Handicap over 2200m. Sent off a rather uneasy favourite at 33/10, the Silvano gelding sat towards the rear for most of the journey. Once given rein though he quickened well, and under a well-judged ride from Musi Yeni, he got up late to deny HAZEL JAY (led 600) by a neck.
Titbits
Fourth placed WENDY MAE ran on strongly from the rear when only beaten two lengths in the MR60 Handicap over 1000m.

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Back In Style

Vaal 27th May: They raced on the sand on Tuesday where victory in the opening maiden plate over 1200m went to the well exposed MAYAN DESTINY. Freely available at 9/1 on the off, Paul Matchett’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running going through the 300m and won very comfortably by three from the staying on pacemaker RUNAWAY TIME.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR76 Handicap won by the Scot Kenny trained VELDDRIFTER. Another to race handy, the well supported 2/1 favourite (op 3’s) struck the front shortly after passing the 500m marker. He quickly went clear and won very comfortably by four and a quarter.
A pinnacle stakes over 1450m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the 40/1 shot JET JAMBOREE registered his fifth career victory. Gelded during his layoff of 37 weeks coming into the race, Dominic Zaki’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 400m and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to hold off a very determined challenge from one of the 5/2 joint favourites UNCLE TOMMY by a length and a quarter.
Also worthy of note on this card was the performance of NERO in winning the MR68 affair over 1600m. Positioned in the backend of midfield early on, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for the heavily supported SIAMESE FIGHTER (ran on from the rear) by three and a quarter.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear early on, STAVINSKY fairly flew over the final 300m when getting up in the dying strides to win the MR87 Handicap over 1200m.

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Sheik On Target

Scottsville 28th May: Five of the ten races in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR97 Handicap won by the outsider COFFEE SHEIK. Freely available at 25/1 on the off, the 6yo son of The Sheik made virtually all. He kept on doggedly over the final 400m and in a race in which the field were always very tightly bunched he just held on by the narrowest of margins from the much more fancied ISOBAR.
The only race to be run over 1000m was a MR78 Handicap and here we saw a very easy victory for another of The Sheik’s progeny, SHEIK’S BRASHEE. Not the quickest into stride, Mike Miller’s charge raced in midfield early on. He ran on strongly from the 600m pole and after striking the front 350m out he cruised clear to score by five.
Another to win in very good style was the newcomer KINGMAMBO’S LEGACY in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m. Sent off a well-supported second favourite at 28/10 (op 4/1), Mike De Kock’s charge also came from midfield. He quickened well from halfway and won going away by four after striking the front 200m out. One to follow.
Race three on the card was a maiden plate over 1200m and here victory went to the Slew The Red filly ROYAL AND REGAL. The luckless 12/10 favourite SALANDER was the first to make a move and going through the 200m it looked as if Anton Marcus would make it lucky 14 for the filly. Wendy Whitehead’s charge ran on stoutly below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up to deny Salander in the very last stride.
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride and hampered 900m out to boot, the newcomer SAME JURISDICTION ran on well from the rear when only beaten a length and a half in the girls’ maiden juvenile plate over 1200m.
FIRST DEFENCE ran on well from the backend of midfield when winning the maiden plate over 1600m.

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Big Improvers

Vaal 29th May: Thursday’s action at the Vaal took place on the inside track where we saw a very impressive performance in the boy’s division of the maiden 1200m from the 3yo SYMBOLIK. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the son of Kahal had raced towards the rear in each of his four previous outings, but adopting a change of tactics here, he raced from the front. He began to assert his authority shortly after passing halfway and went on to score very easily by six and a quarter.
Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was MAI THIAGA in the 1700m event. On leaving the stalls it was GABRIEL who elected to make the running whilst St John Gray’s charge raced close up in fifth. Gabriel kept on strongly at the business end of the race and did have the rest comfortably beaten. Mai Thaiga quickened nicely when given rein though and won with authority by two and a quarter after striking the front 200m out.
The fastest of the three 1000m races on the card was the lucky last, a MR64 Handicap, won by MARY’S JET. Always top of the boards, Piere Strydom’s mount found good support at the track and eventually left the stalls at 5/2 after opening up at 4/1. She led a strung out field from pillar to post and won without any anxious moments by two and a quarter.
Titbits
Adopting a change of tactics in the MR79 Handicap over 1700m, LEEULOOP JET won well by two.
SHOUT OUT showed good improvement when beating the well supported Africa Blue with authority by three and a half in the MR64 Handicap over 2000m. The third horse in this race was beaten six lengths.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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