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2^nd Run After Gelding

Durbanville 4^th April: Wednesday’s action took place at the country course where we saw a very easy victory in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m for the favourite EARTH’S ORBIT. Allowed to ease a little in the betting market prior to the off (12/10 out to 15/10), Justin Snaith’s charge was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and with some in hand she easily accounted for MAINMAST by four.

Favourite backers were also on the mark in the next when the Joey Ramsden trained TUMBLEBRUTUS did the business in the boys division of the maiden juvenile 1200m. Backed into 13/20 from 12/10 at the track, the very green son of Black Minnaloushe led throughout. The second favourite NAVAL VICTORY threw down a determined challenge over the final 200, but Tumblebrutus just kept finding and probably won a little more easily than the official margin of a neck would suggest.

At the other end of the scale the biggest priced winner on the eight race program was CODE RED in the maiden event over 1400m. Supported into 14/1 from 25’s in the final 30 minutes before the off, the 3yo son of Windrush raced fifth for most of the journey. He quickened well in the straight and under a well judged ride from Morne Winnaar, he got up late to deny another supported runner in MUNTASIR (12/1 into 13/2).

A progress event over 1400m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when most people’s banker on the cardLAKEARTHURgot rolled. After racing prominent,LakeArthurtook up the running 400m out. Visibly cruising at that stage though was the recently gelded LAURIE’S GOLD and when that one in turn put his head in front 100m later it was clear thatLakeArthurhad a race on his hands. Yogis Govender’s charge gave his all on the run to the line, but on the day he found one better.

Titbits

Beaten just 2,75 lengths in the race won by Code Red, the nibbled at DYNASTY’S SECRET was continually baulked for a run from the 400m marker and only saw daylight when the race was almost over. Third placed KOENIGSEGG ran on strongly from the rear in this race.

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Horse For Courses

Vaal 5^th April: They raced on the sand on Thursday where victory in the opening workrider’s maiden event over 1200m went to the nibbled at BERRYMILLER (33/10 into 28/10). Positioned in midfield going through halfway, Berrymiller ran on strongly at the business end of the race and under a confident ride from Chamu Mabaya, he comfortably accounted for SRINAGER by a length and a quarter.

The easiest victory on the card was recorded by DELTA LIONESS when giving trainer Stuart Pettigrew a quick double in the second, a maiden event for the girls over 1200m. Always close to the speed in what was a very tightly bunched field going through halfway, Delta Lioness began to assert her authority from the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to score by five.

The afternoon’s feature event was a conditions plate over 1600m and here we saw another smart performance from the 6yo son of Numerous MR TOBIN. Unbeaten on sand, Mr Tobin as per usual raced a few lengths off them early on. Making his debut on the sand, the strongly fancied second favourite JET JAMBOREE was the first to make a move and going well after striking the front 700m out, looked as if he would take some pegging back. Running on with all his usual zest though, Mr Tobin quickly reeled him in and after he in turn struck the front 170m from home, he comfortably drew clear.

The lucky last was a MR72 Handicap over 1200m and as expected victory here went to the favourite FORMATION. Backed into 13/20 from even money in the ante post market before being allowed to ease right back out to 12/10 at the track, St John Gray’s charge raced much closer to the pace than she had done in recent starts. She was ridden to lead at the 300m marker and with the rest well beaten, she easily accounted for the ultra consistent ZEBULON by two.

Titbits

Positioned towards the rear in what was a very strung out field turning for home in the MR68 affair over 1450m, recent maiden winner CLASS CAPTAIN ran on well to finish a close up third.

50/1 shot PRESIDENT ELECT ran on from the rear when getting up in the dying strides to deny the strongly fancied The Fixer in the second division of the MR68 Handicap over 1450m.

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Badger Strikes

Fairview 6^th April: First up on Friday was a maiden event over 1000m and in what proved to be a real thriller favourite backers got off to a good start. Backed into 28/10 from 33/10 on course, market leader QUICK DELIVERY was always handy. She ran on strongly from halfway and after a thrilling tussle with CRASHFEEVER over the final 200m, she only got the verdict on the nod.

Much easier a winner was the Grant Paddock trained SUNNY SPAIN in the second race on the card, a maiden event over 1600m. Backed into 33/10 second favourite from 11/2, Sunny Spain was taken straight to the front by Grant Van Niekerk and led throughout. He was always in command and ran out a very easy winner by five.

The stable of Grant Paddock were also on the mark in the MR70 Handicap over 1600m when the easy to back TROUBLE AGAIN registered his second career victory. Allowed to ease out to 13/1 from 10/1 at the track, Trouble Again raced in midfield for most of the journey. Once in the straight though he ran on best of all and under a well judged ride from Karis Teetan he got up late to deny THE BERRYMAN who also finished well.

The first of the afternoon’s two listed races to be run was the East Cape Guineas and here a bit of an upset was to be had when LORD BADGER landed the spoils. Freely available at 15/1 on the off, Alan Greeff’s charge sat towards the rear early on. He quickened well at the top of the straight and finishing best of all he got up late to beat the fancied Western Cape raider PRESIDENT OF POP fair and square.

Titbits

PHEMBA ran on from the rear when finishing runner up in the MR66 Handicap over 1600m.

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Four From Five

Greyville 6^th April: An upset was to be had in the first on Friday evening when the 1/5 favourite FLITTER got rolled. Soon into stride, Flitter went straight to the front and a length and a half clear going through the 300m, many had turned to face the payout queque. Always nicely positioned in second though, the 7/1 shot Anne Trulove steadily began to reel her in at the business end of the race and under a well judged ride from Stuart Randolph, she got up late to score by a neck.

A conditions plate over 1800m was next up and in a race where just four went to post, we saw a very easy victory for the second favourite QUEEN’S COMMAND. Close up in second as they came off the bend, Glen Kotzen’s charge was ridden to lead as they approached the 200m marker and drew clear easily late to beat the favourite LAS RAMBLAS by four and a half.

Race five on the card was a graduation event over 1400m and here it was nice to see the once highly regarded LAGO LIDA back in the winner’s enclosure. Having only his second outing since breaking a bloodvessel for the second time (horses are permanently suspended if breaking a bloodvessel three times!), the son of Encosta De Lago spent most of the race in the rear. Once in the short home straight though, he quickened best of all and fairly flying at the finish won going away by a length and a quarter.

The listed KZN Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here the stable of Dennis Drier completed a nice treble when the well supportedTORRABAYlanded the spoils. Backed into 3/1 from 9/2 at the track, the daughter ofCapeCrosswas soon up handy. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running onCapevisitor SWEET ARIA by a neck.TorraBayhas now won four of her five career starts.

Titbits

GANDOLF THE GREAT ran on well from the rear when getting up late to win the MR78 Handicap over 2000m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

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Top rated winners last week included

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Notebook:-

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