Promising Start
Kenilworth 23rd August: The going was once again very soft in Cape Town on Saturday, but that didn’t stop the newcomer UNCLE JIM putting in a smart performance in the opening maiden event over 1000m. Freely available at 7/1 on the off Justin Snaith’s charge raced in the rear early on. Patiently ridden by Karis Teetan (three winners on the card) though, the son of Jay Peg steadily worked his way through the field and despite having to switch out at one point he won going away by a length and a quarter.
Also worthy of note in the maiden ranks was the performance of LEBOMBO BREEZE in winning the maiden event over 1800m. Positioned sixth of the nine for most of the journey Joey Ramsden’s charge still had a few lengths to find as they came off the bend. Once in the short home straight though he quickened well, and showing a nice turn of foot he got up late to win going away.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1800m and the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by SURRUPTITIOUS. Taken straight to the front by MJ Byleveld, Mike Stewart’s charge led throughout. He answered every call in the home straight and won gamely by a length and a half.
Three of the races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR96 Handicap won by the 5yo THE WEST IS WIDE. On leaving the stalls it was WESTERN MOVIE who elected to make the running and four lengths clear going through the 400m it looked as if he might go on to steal it. The early effort took its toll on the front runner shortly after that point though and running on stoutly from midfield Vaughan Marshall’s charge won going away after striking the front 200m out.
Titbits
With the rest well beaten the newcomer SAINT MARY found extra when challenged 200m out by SHAKESPEAR’S LADY and won going away by a length and a quarter.
The 6yo LONDON THEATRE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from towards the rear to fill fourth position (beaten a length and a half) in the MR68 Handicap over 1800m.
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Time For Atso
Flamingo Park 25th August: They raced in the Northern Cape on Monday where the best bet on the card for most ATSO’S SCHEME did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1000m. Always deep in the red (sent off 4/10), Corne Spies’ charge raced up with the speed throughout. He kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and won comfortably by a length and a quarter from the running on BEEZ BROTHER.
The Spies stable were also on the mark with another son of Atso, ATSO TIME in the MR70 Handicap over 1000m. In a time 0,14 seconds slower than that of Atso’s Scheme, Atso Time took up the running going through the 600m. His stable companion ON THIS ROCK chased hard throughout, but try as he might he couldn’t get closer than three quarters at the wire.
The easiest victory on the card was registered by CREATIVE STRIPE in the faster of the two 1600m events, a MR64 Handicap. Allowed to ease out to 5/2 from 15/10 at the track although still retaining his position at the top of the boards, the 6yo son of Equal Stripes was always handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by four and a half.
A pinnacle stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here victory went to the marginally best weighted runner in the race KINGOFMOUNTAIN. On leaving the stalls it was CLAVERHOUSE who elected to make the running whilst Cliffie Miller’s charge raced close up in third. The easy to back LUNAR EMBLEM went with him when he made his move 500m out and in what proved to be a real thriller it was only by a neck that Kingofmountain got the verdict. Back in third beaten three quarters of a length was SAN VICENZO. Worst in at the weights, this one had raced detached at the rear and did very well indeed to get as close as he did.
Titbits
JACK FRIDAY ran on strongly in the closing stages when getting up very late to open his account in the maiden 1400m.
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Lesser Fancied
Greyville 26th August: Four of the eight races at Tuesday afternoon’s poly track meeting were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the opening maiden plate won by NISA’S MACHINE. Backed as if unbeatable during the morning, the son of Hussonet left the stalls deep in the red at 1/3. He got away well when the gates opened and soon at the head of affairs led throughout. It looked as if he would win comfortably going through the 400m, but the lesser fancied of Garth Puller’s two runners RUMBULLION (10/1 out to 20/1) ran on stoutly below the distance and it was only by the narrowest of margins that Nisa’s Machine held on.
The faster of the two 2000m races on the card was the MR78 Handicap won by WARCRAFT. Freely available at 14/1 on the off the lesser fancied of Alyson Wright’s two runners made the early running. He was headed at one stage, but after regaining the lead 300m out, he went on to score with authority by three.
Another to win with authority on this card was OFF RAMP in the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1400m. Surprisingly allowed to drift right out to 7/10 from 1/3 at the track, Dennis Drier’s charge was always handy. She took up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and only having to be pushed out she won with some in hand by three. Detached at the rear early on after losing two lengths at the start, GALLIC FIRE was running on strongly at the finish when third in this race.
Titbits
The newcomer ESCOVITCH was steadily gaining on the hotpots Translunar and Casciano at the finish when third in the boy’s division of the maiden plate for 3yo’s over 1400m.
After losing four lengths at the start, MY LOVELY ran on well and didn’t find the clearest of passages when third beaten just 0,6 lengths in the MR70 Handicap over 2000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (4) Wild Lord 24
Race 2: (6) Counterblast 31
Race 3: (1) Tommy Gun 66 (NAP**)
Race 4: (5) Royal Quest 13
Race 5: (2) Space Girl 37
Race 6: (3) The Delegator 25
Race 7: (7) Sylviidae 38
Race 8: (3) On This Rock 29
Race 9: (4) Gee I Jane 27
Greyville (tues)
Race 1: (1) Harry’s Horse 22
Race 2: (9) Mogokity 24
Race 3: (3) Tenderwood 22
Race 4: (1) Imbuta Castrum 23
Race 5: (8) Mucajai 25(NAP*)
Race 6: (4) Royal Nisha 56
Race 7: (4) Roy’s Royalty 34
Race 8: (3) Chill 47
Race 9: (7) Kaji 38
Race 10: (4) Touching Base 41
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (16) Zingaro 24
Race 2: (1) Shakespear’s Lady 16
Race 3: (3) Ideal Countess 14
Race 4: (5) Goldandsilver 13
Race 5: (1) Gigabyte 15
Race 6: (2) Singing River 59
Race 7: (4) Nonki Poo 52
Race 8: (8) Lane Frost 45
Race 9: (7) Sir Bastion 49
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Woodstock Express 15
Race 2: (1) Straw Market 69 (NAP*)
Race 3: (12) Prince Of Orange 25
Race 4: (4) Samba Serenade 61
Race 5: (9) Sweet On You 12
Race 6: (12) Jumpstart 37
Race 7: (9) Creative Stripe 42
Race 8: (6) Olympic Bolt 43
Top rated winners last week included
Opah Latino won 28/1
Le Forti won 4/1
Storm Coast won 7/2
Atso Time won 18/10
Castle won 15/10
Translunar won 12/10
Atso’s Scheme won 4/10
Nisa’s Machine won 1/3
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Notebook:-
Escovitch (K Naidoo, KZN)
Rumbullion (G Puller, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (old) 23rd August
Penetrometer 30 – Going Soft
1000m (1) Uncle Jim 64,31
1200m (3) The West Is Wide 77,31
1800m (4) Surruptitious 117,23
Flamingo Park 25th August
Going Standard
1000m (2) Atso’s Scheme 58,06
1200m (1) Dynamic Star 73,56
1400m (2) Matteo 86,40
1600m (2) Creative Stripe 100,98
1800m (1) Kingofmountain 114,53
2200m (1) Back To Bowler 154,84
Greyville (poly) 26th August
Going Standard
1200m (1) Pej 71,05
1400m (4) Nisa’s Machine 85,64
1800m (1) Le Forti 113,26
2000m (2) Warcraft 122,95
