An important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
In Time Is Money this week, we look at some of Saturday’s Oaks-Derby meeting in the KZN Capital City and last Thursday’s weather-delayed Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting.
Hollywoodbets Scottsville 14 June
Track Condition
Going: Good (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 23 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 22mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 9m inside track: 4m rail 1200m to finish standside track
Wind: 10-15km/h North North Easterly cross wind
Course Variant: 0,84s fast (straight) – 1,02s fast (bend)
Tote Gr3 Oaks 2400m
The first of the afternoon’s two Gr3 feature events to be run, the Oaks, was a very false paced affair.
With nobody really setting out to make the running, the nibbled at Indian Ocean (10/1 into 7/) gained a soft lead, and then after rounding the first turn injected some speed. She rounded the final bend in the fastest time of the four races to negotiate that section, and entering the straight this The United States mare was six lengths clear.
She not surprisingly began to tire entering the straight, and with the rest very tightly bunched going through the 400m, the race developed into a sprint. The always handy SHE’S A BOMBER ran on strongly from there onwards and in a thrilling finish she got the better of the fast finishing My Soul Mate by a neck.
The Tote Derby on Saturday was run at a true gallop (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Tote Gr3 Derby 2400m
Run in a time two and a quarter seconds quicker (approximately 13 lengths) than that of the Oaks, the Derby was run at a true pace throughout.
Holding Thumbs led on leaving the stalls, before the odds on favourite Future Swing (reported as over-raced in the early stages, and also noted as quite keen on the way to the start) took up the running approaching the 1600m marker. With those exertions clearly taking their toll at the top of the straight, Holding Thumbs regained the lead.
The always handy KING PELLES also quickened well at that point. Gareth Van Zyl’s charge had beaten Holding Thumbs by a length and three quarters in the Chairmans at Kenilworth on Met Day, and despite being 3kg worse off at the weights here, he went on to win well by a length and a quarter, after taking up the running 200m out.
Three 1200m Races
Just 0,41 seconds separated the winners of the three 1200m maiden juvenile plates and in the fastest of these, the heavily supported What A Winter colt MIGHTY ZAMBEZI (13/2 into 5/2) landed a gamble.
The pace was a fair one and taken straight to the front by Calvin Habib, Wendy Whitehead’s charge led throughout. He ran on strongly at the business end of the race and despite shifting around a little in the closing stages, he won comfortably by a length and three quarters.
Two 1400m Races
The Tote For The Win! Class 4 event was the faster of the two 1400m races and here the well supported favourite ROSH KEDESH scored a facile victory.
Backed into 2/1 from 3’s at the track, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge raced much closer to the pace than in his earlier races, and nicely positioned in fifth coming off the bend, he was perfectly positioned to strike. He did so passing the 300m marker and went on to score with authority by two and a half.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) Mighty Zambezi 69,84
1400m (2) Rosh Kedesh 83,78
2400m (2) King Pelles 149,21
400-finish Hot Pearl 22,79
***
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth 12 June (winter course)
(originally scheduled for 10 June)
Track Condition
Going: Soft (both tracks)
Penetrometer: 27 (both tracks)
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 Days 75mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 3m out back straight; 6m spur at 450m mark
Wind: 3-8km/h North Westerly tail wind
Course Variant: 0,1s fast (straight) – 0,51s fast (bend)
Winter Mile (NBT) 1600m
The non-black type Winter Mile topped the bill on Thursday’s rescheduled meeting and in what proved comfortably to be the fastest of the three races around the turn, the well supported SUGAR MOUNTAIN took his tally of wins into double figures. Backed into 9/4 favourite from 4/1 at the track, the 6yo Silvano gelding was soon up handy.
He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker, and ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race to hold off a determined challenge from the July entry Magic Verse by half a length. Sugar Mountain increased his stake earnings to over R1M here.
Winter Sprint (NBT) 1200m
By far the fastest of the five 1200m races on Thursday’s card was the joint top liner in terms of stake money, the Winter Sprint, and here we saw a comfortable victory for the heavily supported ARCTIC WIZARD (9/2 into 33/20).
Another to be backed into favouritism, Greg Ennion’s charge was taken straight to the front by Musi Yeni and set consistent fractions throughout. He was always a length clear and although the always handy Kaiboy chased hard at the business end of the race, he couldn’t make any impression.
Two 1000m Races
The maiden juvenile plate was the faster of the two 1000m events on the card and here the lightly raced son of Rafeef, SPIRIT (5/1 into 5/2 2nd fav) opened his account. Racing for the first time since being gelded, Piet Steyn’s charge sat fourth early on some three and a quarter lengths off a good pace set by Mount Augustus.
He ran on strongly from halfway and recording the joint fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon, he won well by a length and a half. Interestingly, the fifth placed runner in this race Marcus Aurelius also recorded the joint fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon. Making his debut here, Marcus Aurelius was baulked late and is sure to come on stacks next time. One to follow.
400m – finish times
The fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon was 23,55 seconds, and amazingly, four horses achieved this figure. The winner Spirit and 5th placed runner Marcus Aurelius in race one, the runner up Magic Verse in race seven, and the 7th placed Love Story in race 10!
Fastest Times:
1000m (2) Spirit 59,32
1200m (5) Arctic Wizard 71,81
