New Course Records
Fairview 31st January: They raced on the turf on Friday where the course was running very fast. Indeed, the course records were broken over both 1000m and 1200m. The 1000m record is now held by STARS AND STRIPES winner of the MR72 Handicap. Always handy, the 5yo National Emblem gelding was ridden to lead at the 100m marker and comfortably accounted for BENEDICT by a length and a quarter.
The 1200m record was broken when VAUCLAIR scored an eye catching victory in the bill topping non-black type Fairview Merchants. Positioned in the backend of midfield early on, Tara Laing’s charge ran on best of all and in a thrilling three way finish he got up late to deny PROTEST SONG.
The easiest victory on the nine race program was recorded by DRILL SARGEANT when registering his eighth career victory from just thirty starts in the conditions plate over 2700m. The friendless ICE FLAG made the running whilst in a strung out field the top weight raced fifth. He quickened well at the top of the long home straight and cruised clear to win by four and three quarters after striking the front 300m from home.
Another to win with authority on this card was SOOFEE in the maiden 2400m. Supported throughout the day into 9/2 from 10/1, Mitch Wiese’s charge was always in touch with the leaders. He moved through to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and won well by three and a quarter.
Titbits
The newcomer PACYANO quickened nicely late when winning the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
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Going One Better
Kenilworth 1st February: The fastest of the two 2000m races in Cape Town on Saturday was not surprisingly the Gr1 J&B Met won by last season’s runner up HILL FIFTY FOUR. Freely available at 15/1 on the off Vaughan Marshall’s charge adopted a change of tactics here and raced from the front. He kept on strongly under a determined ride from Anton Marcus over the final 400m and won well from the running on YORKER by a length and three quarters.
Third in last year’s J&B Met was the champion mare BEACH BEAUTY and this time around her connections rather opted for the Gr1 Majorca Stakes where the weights were in her favour. Sent off a very strong favourite at 13/20 to win this 1600m event, the daughter of Dynasty was always positioned close to the speed. She took up the running going through the 200m and won well from the easy to back HAMMIE’S HOOKER by a length and a quarter.
The biggest upset on the twelve race program came in the Gr1 Cape Derby when LEGISLATE landed the spoils. Freely available at 28/1 on the off, Justin Snaith’s charge raced in the rear for most of the journey. He quickened well at the business end of this 2000m event and won comfortably from the talented CAPTAIN AMERICA who also finished well from off the rear.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by HAPPY FOREVER in the MR96 Handicap over 1200m. The best bet on the card for many Joey Ramsden’s charge was taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus and led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by three and a half.
Titbits
The recent maiden winner SKIPPING GAL ran on well from the rear when fourth in the MR84 Handicap over 1000m.
CASTLETHORPE finished best of all when running on from midfield to win the MR99 Handicap over 1600m.
Third placed DANCING DYNASTY didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the rear to take third position in the MR84 Handicap over 1800m.
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Cricket Hat-trick
Vaal 1st February: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place on Turffontein’s inside track.
A maiden plate over 1200m was first up on the outside track at the Vaal on Saturday and here we saw a smart performance from the even money favourite PLATINUM JET. After proving troublesome at the start the son of Jet Master lost two lengths, but despite that was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead at the 300m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by three and three quarters. Interestingly, this race was run faster than both the MR72 & MR90 Handicaps over the same distance.
Another to win with authority on this card was ALL THE BIDS in the maiden juvenile event over 1000m. Taken straight to the front by Fanie Chambers the only runner with experience amongst the eight going to post, made all. He was always in command and despite getting his tongue over the bit he won very easily by three and three quarters.
Race five on the card was a MR80 Handicap over 1450m and here we saw another smart performance from the highly regarded MISTER CRICKET. Looking to make it three from three here, the 3yo son of Judpot made all. He led by just a length going through the 400m and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels on the run to the line he went on to beat his useful stable companion EARLY OF DERBY by two and a half.
Titbits
Detached at the rear after being squeezed out at the start, the newcomer ORCHESTRATED caught the eye running on very strongly when third to the useful looking Platinum Jet in the maiden 1200m.
KINGS V was baulked for a run en-route from midfield when a length and a half runner up in the novice 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview Race 1: (13) Sylvie 24 Race 2: (4) Silverano 64 Race 3: (1) Sugar Prism 10 (EW) Race 4: (7) Platinum Fox 20 Race 5: (7) Babazeka 14 Race 6: (5) Victor Silvester 53 Race 7: (3) Money For Love 54 Race 8: (2) Miss Imperial 27 Scottsville Race 1: (1) Polychromatic 28 Race 2: (1) The Outlaw 18 Race 3: (1) Bermuda 33 Race 4: (11) Berthe 14 Race 5: (6) Ikati 50 Race 6: (16) Queen’s Favour 56 Race 7: (12) Miss Stingray 53 Race 8: (8) Breeders Cup 77 Race 9: (11) Forestry Law 54 (EW) Race 10: (3) Fade To Grey 21 Turffontein Race 1: (2) Captured Wind 32 Race 2: (1) Corne’s Girl 13 Race 3: (3) Mary Stuart 66 Race 4: (5) Supa Sami 22 Race 5: (6) Approachable 117 Race 6: (1) Sharp Design 94 Race 7: (2) Summertime 12 Race 8: (13) Sixmilebridge 48 Kenilworth Race 1: (6) Rosegold 5 Race 2: (7) Royal Folly 84 Race 3: (3) Western Movie 59 Race 4: (2) Credibility 18 Race 5: (2) Western Wonder 20 Race 6: (1) House Of Lorraine 15 Race 7: (10) Act Of Faith 56 Race 8: (10) Soft Snow 58 Race 9: (9) Charlie Strong 8 Vaal Race 1: (2) Manzai 30 Race 2: (1) Uncle Tommy 84 Race 3: (3) Felan 14 Race 4: (4) Asiatic Pearl 23 Race 5: (13) Sixmilebridge 45 Race 6: (1) Formation 82 (NAP*) Race 7: (1) Principled 52 Race 8: (2) Rodeo Dandy 41 Race 9: (1) Penny Fare 28 .
Top rated winners last week included
Manonthecatwalk won 20/1 Little Pearl won 8/1 Vauclair won 4/1 Apple Tart won 7/2 Hana won 7/2 Stunning Vision won 7/2 Miss Imperial won 5/2 Henry Higgins won 2/1 .
Notebook:-
Beach Beauty (D Drier, W-Cape) Happy Forever (J Ramsden, W-Cape) Mister Cricket (A Laird, Gauteng) Orchestrated (S Tarry, Gauteng) .
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets *Denotes – Times taken by ClockwatcherFairview 31st January Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (2) Stars And Stripes 55,04 1200m (2) Vauclair 66,48 1400m (2) Simply Uncanny 83,96 2000m (1) Starlight Beauty 123,46 2400m (1) Soofee 154,06 2700m (1) Drill Sargeant 172,63 .
Kenilworth (new) 1st February Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 1000m (2) Happy Forever 69,84 1200m (2) Savannah Song 57,83 1400m (1) Lift Off 86,72 1600m (3) Beach Beauty 98,16 1800m (1) Zacharias 113,26 2000m (2) Hill Fifty Four 123,93 2800m (1) River Crossing 178,04 .
Vaal (outside) 1st February Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (2) Regal Rose 57,63 1200m (3) Platinum Jet 71,55 1400m (2) Mister Cricket 83,03 1600m (2) Eurakilon 98,22
