Fine Margins
Fairview 9th January: The action took place on the poly track on Friday where the fastest of the four races over 1600m was the MR92 Handicap won by the veteran MONEY GRUBBER. Having only his second outing since relocating to the Eastern Cape, the son of Strike Smartly raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well when the field began to concertina 400m out and in a race where only a length separated the first five home he got up very late. Fourth placed POLITICAL PLAYBOY also ran on well from off the pace in this race.
Fastest against the clock in the three 1900m events was EGREGIOUS in the MR74 affair. Initially priced up as favourite at 3/1 (sent off 4/1), Tara Laing’s charge was soon up handy. She moved up to challenge the newly installed favourite SCARLET BERRY (5/1 into 5/2 – set the pace) going through the 200m and after a thrilling tussle with both her and SHAKESPEAR’S LADY, she only got the verdict by the narrowest of margins.
The faster of the two remaining races run over 1000m was the MR80 Handicap in which the Var mare VIVALDA registered her sixth career victory. Taken straight to the front by Robert Khathi, Yvette Bremner’s charge led throughout. She was quickly two and a half lengths clear and although the always second placed PEGWELL BAY was steadily closing in at the business end of the race, she still had half a length to spare at the wire.
Titbits
The deposed favourite STACKED BY SEATTLE won the girl’s maiden plate over 1600m going away with some in hand.
BOLT OF LIGHT ran on well from midfield when winning the MR71 Handicap over 1600m.
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Lonely By Eight
Greyville 9th January: They raced on both surfaces again on Friday evening with the lion’s share (6 races) taking place on the poly track.
The two turf races were both run over 1400m and surprisingly the faster of these was the MR76 Handicap won by DANCINGWITHJACKSON. Nibbled at on course into 12/1 from 20’s, the 3yo son of Seventh Rock was positioned in the rear as the ten runners turned for home. He ran on stoutly in the straight and after a thrilling tussle with LUCKY BREAK over the final 150m he only got the verdict on the nod.
The easiest victory on the poly track was undoubtedly that of DARK LIABILITY (sweating) in the faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m. Soon up handy, the 18/10 favourite took up the running coming off the bend. He drew clear with ease in the straight and came home lonely by eight.
Race six on the card was a MR83 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a smart performance from the 3yo FORTISSIMO. Well supported on course into 9/2 from 6/1, Garth Puller’s charge raced sixth for most of the journey. He quickened nicely at the top of the straight and won well by a length after striking the front close home.
Titbits
ON MY WITS ALONE won with authority by three and a quarter when opening his account in the maiden 1800m.
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A Second Slower
Kenilworth 10th January: The 3yo ACES UNITED was all the rage to win the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m on Saturday and he didn’t let down his supporters. Deep in the red at 1/3 on the off it looked as if the son of Lonhro would win easily as his rider Justin Andrews was already looking around for challenges 400m out. He was made to work in the closing stages though as ETERNAL LOVE ran on strongly, and it was only by a half that he got the verdict.
The Gr1 Queens Plate over 1600m topped the bill and looking to extend his winning sequence to six here was the July winner LEGISLATE. Another to leave the stalls at prohibitive odds, Justin Snaith’s charge raced fourth and going through the 400m held every chance. He could find no extra when the pace quickened though and finished last of the nine beaten 5,25 lengths. Victory instead went to the Brett Crawford trained FUTURA. Eighth of the nine turning for home, Futura ran on strongly over the final 400m and got up late to score by three quarters.
Run in a time a second quicker than the Queens Plate was the MR77 Handicap won by the up and coming 3yo ST TROPEZ. Easy to back at 15/2 on the off the son of Silvano raced in midfield during the early part of the race. He made his move early in the straight and comfortably accounted for the useful NIGHT IN SEATTLE after striking the front 200m from home.
Titbits
The 7yo Castlethorpe was flying at the finish when only beaten a neck in the pinnacle stakes over 1000m.
ATHINA (raced in rear) and Jet Belle (midfield – baulked) both ran on well when beaten less than half a length in the Gr1 Paddock Stakes over 1800m.
In what proved to be the fastest of the four 1000m races PROMICING POLLY ran on strongly from midfield when winning the MR68 Handicap by four and a half with a ton in hand.
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Three From Three
Turffontein 11th January: The Gr3 London News Stakes topped the bill at the inner track on Sunday and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Geoff Woodruff trained KILLUA CASTLE. Backed into favouritism at the track (9/2 into 22/10), the son of Churchill Downs raced towards the rear early on. Once in the long home straight though he quickened nicely and won well by two and a half after striking the front 200m from home. Poorly drawn MOUNTAIN MASTER (fourth beaten 2,75 lengths) ran on well from the rear in this race.
The supporting act was the listed Sea Cottage Stakes for 3yo’s over 1800m and here the Mike De Kock trained ERTIJAAL kept his unbeaten record intact. A winner of two from two coming into the race the son of Hard Spun quickly overcame a poor draw and was always handy. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and after a thrilling tussle with both DEPUTY JUDD (led 400m) and GREEK LEGEND (led 150m), he got the verdict by a half.
Three of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1450m and the fastest of these was the MR74 Handicap won by SHAYNA. Another to run on stoutly from off the pace the daughter of Toreador struck the front going through the 300m and won well from the 6yo BESAME MUCHO by a length and a half. Third placed TROPHY WIFE was baulked for a run 300m out when running on from the rear in this race.
Titbits
Poorly drawn OUR JET ran on well from the rear when third in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (7) Nomvula 5
Race 2: (5) Il Palio 14
Race 3: (3) Supreme Leader 26
Race 4: (7) Pegged For Glory 41
Race 5: (4) Kalidar 39
Race 6: (6) Romantic Balladeer 48
Race 7: (5) Boarding Call 46
Race 8: (9) Giro Jet 22
Race 9: (1) Vestal Virgin 28
Turffontein (tues)
Race 1: (1) Count Du Armagnac 15 (NAP*)
Race 2: (5) Tee Jay Ar 67
Race 3: (4) See You 11
Race 4: (9) Bernadine 56 (EW)
Race 5: (5) Laurie’s Gold 78 (EW)
Race 6: (14) Arkansas 56
Race 7: (9) Main Sunday 58
Race 8: (1) Cool Fantasy 9
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (1) Panga Panga 15
Race 2: (1) Elen Luyddog 20
Race 3: (1) Breathless Bertie 14
Race 4: (7) Boston Celtic 53
Race 5: (6) Set Your Sights 41
Race 6: (7) Up In Lights 37
Race 7: (11) Gigabyte 53
Race 8: (3) Domina 12
Vaal
Race 1: (5) Ayrton 22
Race 2: (1) Tommy Gun 84 (NAP*)
Race 3: (7) Cedar Wood 16
Race 4: (5) Sub Shaawes 42
Race 5: (12) London Olympics 47 (EW)
Race 6: (8) Crystal’s Revenge 69
Race 7: (7) Excalivar 36
Race 8: (5) Hang Fire 48
Race 9: (4) S’way 41
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Top rated winners last week included
Egregious won 4/1
On My Wits Alone won 7/2
Trip Tease won 5/2
Ahlaam won 22/10
Killua Castle won 22/10
Limbo won 2/1
Dark Liability won 18/10
Sail For Gold won 11/10
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Notebook:-
Ertijaal (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Fortissimo (G Puller, KZN)
Futura (B Crawford, W-Cape)
St Tropez (J Ramsden, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 9th January
Going Standard
1000m (2) Vivalda 57,22
1600m (4) Money Grubber 95,27
1900m (3) Egregious 115,59
Greyville (mixed) 9th January
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1000m (1) Varanese 58,45P
1200m (1) Fortissimo 69,61P
1400m (2) Dark Liability 82,53P*
1400m (2) Dancingwithjackson 84,36T
1800m (2) First Flight 109,07P
Kenilworth (new) 10th January
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
1000m (4) Promicing Polly 59,31*
1200m (1) Aces United 74,96*
1400m (1) Peach Delight 89,74
1600m (2) St Tropez 100,60
1800m (3) The Conglomerate 111,02
2800m (1) Coltrane/Current Event 184,97
Turffontein (inner) 11th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Captain’s Diva 57,15
1450m (3) Shayna 86,82
1600m (1) Mutamakkin 97,12
1800m (3) Killua Castle 109,03
