Magic Stuff
Turffontein 24th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m went to the form horse SAPSAN. Surprisingly allowed to drift right out to 12/1 from 6’s at the track the daughter of Lateral made all. MIRACLE RISING (always 2nd) and CAPTAIN’S SONG (always 3rd) both chased hard over the final 400m, but try as they might they couldn’t make any headway.
Run in a time over two seconds faster than that of the maiden juvenile plate was the conditions plate in which we saw an impressive performance from WILLOW MAGIC. Racing for the first time in 14 months, the 2013 Gr1 Gold Medallion runner up raced fourth of the seven for most of the journey. He took up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and went on to score with a ton in hand by three and a half.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m and fastest against the clock here was LIGHT THE WAY when winning the MR72 Handicap. Positioned in midfield early on Robbie Sage’s charge didn’t find the clearest of passages when starting his run. Once seeing daylight though he quickened well and got up nicely late to beat LOCO POR GANAR (ran on from the rear) by a half.
The faster of the two 1600m maiden plates was the boy’s affair in which STONEHENGE opened his account. Allowed to ease out to 7/1 from 9/2 at the track as money came in buckets for MASTER ‘N COMMANDER (12/10 into 1/3), the son of Seventh Rock was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and won comfortably by two and a half from the running on QUID RIDES. The heavily supported favourite got his tongue over the bit and also overreached on the off fore.
Titbits
Making only her second racecourse appearance here the 3yo TIGER’S TOUCH won the maiden 1160m by three with a little in hand.
LOVE TOKEN won the girl’s division of the maiden 1600m going away by two and a half.
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Crest Of A Wave
Kenilworth 24th January: The highlight in Cape Town on Saturday was the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1000m events victory here went to the Mike De Kock trained ALBORAN SEA. Backed into sole favouritism at the track (7/2jtfav into 28/10), the daughter of Rock Of Gibraltar was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 200m and just had enough in hand to beat the running on CAPTAIN OF ALL by a short head.
The supporting act was the R1M non-black type Cape Thoroughbred Sales Stakes for 3yo and in what proved to be the faster of the afternoon’s four 1200m races the R4,5M purchase BRUTAL FORCE registered his second career victory. On leaving the stalls it was CAPTURED WIND who elected to make the running whilst Joey Ramsden’s charge raced close up in third. He came together with the heavily supported favourite ZAMBEZI RIVER 200m out and after a thrilling tussle below the distance he only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
At the other end of the scale the easiest victory on the card was recorded by KIRUMBO in the MR75 Handicap over 1400m. Nicely positioned in second as the eight runners swung for home, the son of Count Dubois took up the running early in the straight. He ran on strongly over the final 500m and although the pacemaker ELITE JET kept on after being headed, he won comfortably by two and three quarters.
A maiden juvenile plate over 1100m had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a smart performance from the Glen Puller trained WESTERN STORM. Always top of the boards (3/1 into 22/10), the son of Var raced in midfield for the first half of the race. Once given rein though he quickened best of all and under a well-judged ride from Brandon Morganrood he got up late to beat POLITICAL POWER by a half.
Titbits
JAZZ BAR ran on well from the rear when opening her account at the first time of asking in the maiden plate over 1000m.
The last stride winner of the maiden 2000m ROYAL TRUMP ran on well from the backend of midfield.
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Blue Blood
Scottsville 25th January: Followers of the money got off to a nice start in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday when GULL WING did the business in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m. Backed into favouritism at the track (3/1 into 16/10), the 4yo Trippi gelding was always handy. He struck the front approaching the 100m pole and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for TIGER TIM (raced handy – led 250m) by a length and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the MR66 Handicap won by BOOM SHEIKTHEROOM. Easy to back at 10/1 on the off the 6yo mare led throughout. She was always a length and a quarter clear and despite the efforts of the chasing BEE MY HONEY over the final 300m she didn’t relinquish an inch of her advantage.
There were also three races run over 1600m and quickest here was the odds on ROYAL LIFE in the boy’s maiden plate. Sent off at 6/10, the strongly fancied son of Dynasty raced sixth during the early part of the race. He quickened well coming off the bend and after striking the front 350m from home he cruised clear to score by six and a half. Royal Life lost two shoes during the running of this race.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing the 10/1 shot PRIDE AND JOY came from the rear when winning the maiden plate over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (3) Give Me A Reason 5
Race 2: (5) Creo’s Pride 28
Race 3: (2) Dixie Rebel 14
Race 4: (1) Idiosyncrasy 10
Race 5: (2) Bluebaygirl 30
Race 6: (2) San Vicenzo 33
Race 7: (4) Hermanus 40
Race 8: (1) Eyes For You 41
Race 9: (8) Pegged For Glory 40
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Dangerous Diva 12 (nb)
Race 2: (11) Mississippi Rising 19 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) C’est Chique 8
Race 4: (2) Ultimate Tiger 26
Race 5: (1) Cedar Wood 18
Race 6: (5) Foretoken 8
Race 7: (5) The Big Willow 9
Race 8: (6) Global Myth 24
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (3) Just Felicity 4
Race 2: (1) Hilaria 18
Race 3: (6) Around Not Across 9
Race 4: (1) Captain’s Dove 9
Race 5: (5) First Favour 37
Race 6: (6) Arcsign 41
Race 7: (7) Lebombo Breeze 34
Race 8: (1) So Suspect 11
Race 9: (7) Black Agate 12
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (2) Jimmijagga 19
Race 2: (7) Shirla 1
Race 3: (1) Razzle My Tazzle 10
Race 4: (5) Duty Dance 66
Race 5: (9) Romantic Balladeer 55 (EW)
Race 6: (5) Tell My Star 49
Race 7: (5) Malta Rocks 71
Race 8: (1) Tiger Quest 63
Race 9: (10) Spellbound 36
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Top rated winners last week included
Up In Lights won 12/1
Crystal’s Revenge won 5/1
Duck Dodger won 9/2
Gullwing won 16/10
Silver Kavalier won 13/10
Bold Attitude won 1/1
Royal Life won 6/10
Music App won 1/4
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Notebook:-
Royal Life (D Howells, KZN)
Willow Magic (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Turffontein (old) 24th January
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (2) Willow Magic 55,43
1160m (1) Tiger’s Touch 67,50
1400m (3) Light The Way 84,25
1600m (2) Stonehenge 98,02
1800m (1) Scotsnog 110,63
Kenilworth (new) 24th January
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Alboran Sea 56,53
1100m (1) Western Storm 64,81
1200m (4) Brutal Force 69,16
1400m (1) Kirumbo 86,22*
2000m (1) Royal Trump 127,78
Scottsville (inside) 25th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Silver Kavalier 58,62
1200m (3) Boom Sheiktheroom 69,82
1400m (1) His Approval 84,71
1600m (3) Royal Life 96,94
1950m (1) Crime Victim 121,44
