Royal Blood
Borrowdale Park 11th December
All The Way
The best bet on the card for most in Zimbabwe on Saturday was ZONDERNAAM (9) in the opening maiden event over 1600m. Deep in the red at 9/20 on the off, Lisa Harris’ charge was soon at the head of affairs. He was always in command and although the easy to back SKIPPER tried his best to make a race of it over the final 400m, he went on to win with some in hand by two.
The afternoons’ feature event was the Gr3 HRIB Gold Cup Sprint run over 1200m and here victory went to the Harris trained ONE LAST TRICK (59). The lesser fancied of Lisa’s two runners in the race, the son of Kitalpha was always handy. He 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 AUVERGNE by a length and three quarters. The runner up Auvergne finished well and is one to consider next time.
The final event on the card was a graduation plate over 1100m and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the 4yo PRUSSIAN HERO (28) landed the spoils. The event had been priced up as a boat race between EPHRAIM and SOHO LADY by the bookmakers and as a result Prussian Hero was freely available at 8/1 on the off. Prussian Hero fairly flew when the gates opened and was very quickly in command of a 2,5 lengths advantage. The favourite Ephraim meanwhile raced in second whilst the second favourite Soho Lady, caught for early toe, sat some seven lengths adrift in sixth. Prussian Hero kept on determinedly at the business end of the race and in what proved to be a real thriller, he just held on by a neck from Ephraim. The previously unbeaten Soho Lady did well in the end to get within two lengths for third and is one to watch when put over further.
Vaal 12th December
Easy For Some
This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at the Turffontein inner track.
There were some very easy victories in the maiden ranks on Sunday, but none more so than that of CHIP SHOT (29) who came home smoking in the opening 1200m event. Sent off a strong favourite at even money, Diane Stenger’s charge was taken straight to the front by Francois Naude and led throughout. He held just a slender lead for most of the journey, but once given rein he easily drew clear.
Another to win very easily in the maiden ranks was BLUE HORIZON BAY (32) who did the business for favourite backers in the 1800m event. Backed into 14/10 from 5/2 at the track, the son of Classic Flag raced fourth during the early part of the race. He quickened well when the race began in earnest 600m out and after striking the front as they approached the 300m marker, he drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat PEGASUS ROAD by three.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here we saw a smart performance from the Geoff Woodruff trained EARL OF SURREY (95). Confidently ridden by Derek David, the very well weighted Earl Of Surrey adopted a change of tactics here and came from off the pace. He finished by far the best and after striking the front 330m from home, he went on to score easily by five and a quarter.
Flamingo Park 13th December
No Favs!
With all nine of the bookmakers’ favourites biting the dust, Monday was a tough day for punters. Indeed, the writing was on the wall in the opening maiden event over 1000m when the Eastern Cape raider having his nineteenth start, WITH A WINK (9) landed the spoils. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, Jacque Strydom’s charge led throughout. He was always in command and ran out a very comfortable winner by two.
The easiest victory on the card was registered by RAIN KING (48) when winning the MR72 affair over 2200m. Freely available at 6/1 on the off, Cliffie Miller’s charge sat second during the early part of the race. He was asked to take up the running rounding the home turn and with nothing able to go with him in the straight, he came home lonely by seven.
The closest we got to a winning favourite was OPENING NIGHT (57) who gained his fifth career victory in the final event on the card, a MR78 Handicap over 1000m. Initially priced up as a clear favourite at 15/10, Opening Night drifted right out to 7/2 on course and was eventually sent off as a joint second favourite. The speed was on from the start and close up in sixth Clinton Binda’s charge was always nicely positioned to challenge. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and under a well judged ride from Francois Herholdt, he got up close home to score by three quarters.
Vaal 14th December
Well Weighted
Tuesday’s action took place on the sand track where victory in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR90 Handicap over 1000m went to the 3yo SAINT PIERRE (46). Allowed to ease out to 11/2 from 4/1 at the track, Paul Matchett’s charge got away well when the gates opened and quickly amassed a two lengths lead. He kept on strongly at the business end of the race and just had enough in hand to hold off the running on SECOND WORLD by a neck.
A MR90 Handicap over 1450m was next up and here a bit of a gamble was landed when the Romeo Francis trained STAR OF DESTINY(70) recorded his fifth career victory. Backed into 8/1 from 14’s, the 7yo lost two lengths at the start and as a result he soon found himself positioned towards the rear. Once in the long home straight though, he ran on best of all and under a well judged ride from Marco Van Rensburg, he got up close home to score by a length and a quarter.
After running the very useful HEADSTRONG to just a neck in a plate race last time out, the best bet on the card for most was the well handicapped SWAN NECK (57) in the lucky last, a MR76 affair over 1450m. The biggest obstacle to Swan Neck looked to be her very wide draw, but out in a flash when the gates opened, the experienced Anthony Delpech soon had her placed at the head of affairs. She was always in command once at the helm and despite the efforts of the chasing KAPOW, she went on to score very easily by three and a quarter.
Kenilworth 15th December
Flying Late
The easiest victory in Cape Town on Wednesday was undoubtedly that of ESKIMO ROLL who came home smoking in the opening maiden event over 1200m. Backed late in the ring into 3/1 from 5’s, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and drew clear easily from there onwards to score by four. Eskimo Roll won well here and is clearly on the upgrade.
The afternoons’ feature event was a MR94 Handicap over 1000m and in what proved to be a real thriller, victory here went to the 5yo MOONLIGHT GAMBLER. On leaving the stalls it was LOS COLMOS who elected to set the pace, whilst Bill Prestage’s charge was content to guard the rear. The favourite BOBBY BEAR raced just in front of Moonlight Gambler and getting first run that one looked to have done everything right as he hit the front 100m from home. Moonlight Gambler finished best of all under a determined ride from Bernard Fayd’Herbe though and just as if scripted he got up in the very last stride.
The final event on the card, a MR79 Handicap over 1400m, was more or less priced up as a match race between CHRYSALIS and WINDS OF WAR by the bookmakers and with the latter having been declared a non runner after rearing whilst being held by the handler at the start, Chrysalis was always going to be the one to beat. He was clearly cruising as he moved through to take up the running 200m out and although he did then have to work in the latter stages of the race, he went on to score cosily by three quarters.
Greyville 15th December
More – No Favs!
As was the case at Flamingo Park on Monday, not one market leader graced the winners’ enclosure in Natal on Wednesday evening. TOUGH AT THE TOP (32) the winner of the maiden event over 1900m did open up favourite at 5/2, but despite his stable companion having won the opener, he was allowed to drift right out to 6/1 at the track. Unaware of his demise in the betting market though, Tough At The Top ran on best of all in the straight and comfortably accounted for another drifter in RUN AMOK (9/2 out to 15/2) who finished well.
A MR74 Handicap over 1600m was next up and here an upset was to be had when the 5yo Al Mufti gelding OMEGA WARRIOR (58) registered his fifth career victory. Freely available at 15/1 on the off, Sean Tarry’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He was asked to take closer order early in the straight and after striking the front shortly after passing the 200m marker, he kept on determinedly to fend off the well supported favourite ARABIAN SANDS (11/2 into 4/1) by three quarters.
A Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m topped the bill and here we saw another gutsy frontrunning performance from the 4yo TETELESTAI (68). A dead-heater with the talented TROPICAL EMPIRE when making all last time out, Tetelestai was soon at the head of affairs. He held a two lengths advantage for most of the journey and although the favourite CANDY TUFT did make some headway at the business end of the race, he still had a length and a quarter to spare at the wire.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Arlington
Race 1: (1) Classtasy 24
Race 2: (17) Rochelle 16
Race 3: (6) Karl Spruce 7
Race 4: (1) Captain’s Cove 49
Race 5: (10) Classic Forest 61
Race 6: (9) Desert Kite 72
Race 7: (13) Sultan Of Song 60
Race 8: (12) Revealing Belle 57
Clairwood
Race 1: (1) Snappy 26
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (7) Regal Racer 18
Race 4: (10) Miss Diana 16
Race 5: (1) Royal Captive 70
Race 6: (8) Bellagio 66
Race 7: (16) King Thom 54
Race 8: (16) Askari 94
Race 9: (2) Take Over Target 80
Race 10: (10) Royal Zulu Warrior 73 (NAP**)
Kenilworth
Race 1: (1) Uncle Tommy 18 (NAP*)
Race 2: No Qualifiers
Race 3: (3) Part Des Anges 11
Race 4: (6) Kayhaladin 78
Race 5: (3) Nelson An Napoleon 51
Race 6: (5) Facing Federer 79
Race 7: (5) Mainspring 51
Race 8: (9) Golden Parachute 91
Race 9: (4) Tottenham 17
Top rated winners last week included:-
Dance To The Stars won 9/2
Audrey Rose won 7/2
Opening Night won 7/2
Howdoulikemenow won 33/10
Woman Of The Year won 33/10
Eskimo Roll won 3/1
Chrysalis won 17/10
Earl Of Surrey won 11/20
Notebook:-
Zondernaam (A Harris, Zimbabwe)
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)
Borrowdale Park 11th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Prussian Hero
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Vincent
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Moon Horse
Vaal 12th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Earl Of Surrey
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Wicket Maiden
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Bambelela
Flamingo Park 13th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Opening Night
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Hunters Green
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Rain King
Vaal 14th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Saint Pierre
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Swan Neck
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
Kenilworth 15th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Moonlight Gambler
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (4) Wild Shot
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Barberton Daisy
Greyville 15th December
Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Tetelestai
Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Hypothetical
Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Tough At The Top
