Quest For Success

That’s The Spirit

Fairview 3^rd May: A maiden juvenile plate over 1200m got proceedings underway on Friday and here we saw a smart performance from the Count Dubois gelding MASTER OF FATE. Having only his second career outing here, Yvette Bremner’s charge raced in midfield in the early stages. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten he got up late to deny the second favourite ONE TRACK MIND.

In terms of distance an easier winner in the maiden ranks was RUSHMORE in the girl’s 1600m event. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, George Uren’s charge was always handy. She took up the running going through the 200m and won by a length and a quarter from the running on THUNDERING SOUND.

Race four on the card was a MR90 Handicap over 1400m and in an event where two of the nine going to post were declared non runners because of their respective gates opening late, victory went to the 3yo LORD JONATHAN. Content to race towards the rear early on, Corne Spies’ charge finished best of all and comfortably accounted for PEREGRINE POWER by a length and a half after striking the front 100m out.

The non-black type Oaks Plate over 1800m topped the bill and here the current national jockey’s log leader Pierre Strydom was on the mark when SILVAN SPIRIT did the business. Sent off a well supported favourite at 22/10 (op 7/2), the daughter of Silvano also came from off the pace. She ran on well down the long Fairview home straight and won fair and square by a length and a quarter.

Titbits

ENTRANCER ran on well from off the pace when opening his account in the second division of the maiden 1200m.

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Could Be Anything

Greyville 4^th May: The first of the three Gr2 events to be run in Natal on Saturday afternoon was the KRA Fillies Guineas over 1600m and here victory went to the favourite FESTIVAL OF FIRE. One of two runners from the stable of Mike De Kock, the daughter of Kahal raced sixth of the eleven for most of the journey. She made her move early in the home straight and comfortably accounted for JET AGLOW after striking the front 150m from home.

The colts’ Guineas was next up and in what proved to be a real thriller the rapidly improving VERCINGETORIX kept his unbeaten record in tact. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, Mike De Kock’s charge was positioned in fifth alongside the 1/4 favourite CAPETOWN NOIR as the eleven runners swung for home. Both ran on stoutly down the short home straight and it was only by the narrowest of margins that Vercingetorix got the verdict. Third placed CORREDOR although ran on well in this race.

A winner of her only previous outing over 1400m, the well weighted BEACH BEAUTY was sent off a strong favourite to win the prestigious Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and she didn’t let down her supporters. Perfectly drawn in barrier two, Dennis Drier’s charge got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on ICE MACHINE by a length and three quarters.

In terms of distance the easiest victory on the ten race program was recorded by DAME VICTORIA in the MR72 affair over 1900m. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 14’s, the daughter of Solskjaer was soon positioned close to the speed. She was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 300m pole and drew clear easily in the latter stages to beat the running on SOLVEIG SAYS by two and three quarters.

Titbits

TARGET FIVE ran on well from the rear when third beaten a length in the MR74 Handicap over 2000m.

HILL FIFTY FOUR and RUN FOR IT both ran on well from the rear when 3^rd and 4^th respectively in the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes.

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Workrider’s Day

Turffontein 4^th May: They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where all of the races were for workriders. A maiden plate over 1000m was first up and here we saw a very easy victory for the Mullins Bay gelding VIKING HERO. Sent off third in the betting market at 7/2, Grant Maroun’s charge was taken straight to the front by Francis Semela and led throughout. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four and a quarter.

There were a number of very easy victories on the afternoon, but none more so than that of DIGITAL DYNASTY when opening her account by a steeplechase margin in the maiden 2450m. Soon up handy, the daughter of Dynasty took up the running at the top of the long home straight and cruised clear over the final 700m to score by eleven.

A MR86 Handicap over 1400m topped the bill and here the trend of big winning margins was continued when DUAL ASSET came home lonely. Just six went to post and going through the 500m all were still in contention. Dual Asset quickened in good style at that point though and after striking the front 250m later he cruised clear to win by seven.

Titbits

In the rear early on after losing two lengths at the start, CALL THE CHALLENGE finished best of all when third in the MR78 Handicap over 1000m.

QUEST FOR FIRE was bumped and forced very wide on the home turn before running on strongly from the rear to take fourth position in the maiden 2000m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

Notebook:-

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