Quick Compensation
Fairview 11th November: First up in Port Elizabeth on Friday was a maiden event over 1400m and in what proved to be a real thriller victory here went to the deposed favourite EMILY MOON. She got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was asked to take up the running 200m from home and having to give her all on the run to the line she just held on by the narrowest of margins from the heavily supported favourite MY CHELSEY GIRL (5/1 into 5/2) by the narrowest of margins.
Another deposed favourite to land the spoils on this card was CASHMERE MAFIA in the afternoon’s feature event, the non black type Fillies Guineas Plate over 1400m. Allowed to drift right out to 28/10 from 15/10 at the track as money in the main came for TRISH DE LAGO (28/10 into 19/10), Barry Steenkamp’s charge raced close up in second for most of the journey. She was ridden to lead going through the 200m and kept on strongly late to beat the running on CAN DO by a length.
The lucky last was a MR73 Handicap over 1400m and here it was nice to see the unlucky loser of his last outing MANGALISO gain quick compensation. Sent off a well supported favourite at 15/10 (op 5/2), the son of Requiem as per usual raced a few lengths off them during the early part of the race. Once into stride though he quickened best of all and under a well judged ride from Richard Fourie he got up late to beat the nibbled at outsider DESERT KITE by a length.
Titbits
Improving BIG ON BROADWAY won the MR91 Handicap over 1000m in good style going away.
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Top Jocks
Turffontein 11th November: They raced on the old stand side track on Friday evening where first to find the winner’s enclosure in the international jockey’s challenge was Tom Queally when guiding the Mike De Kock trained EUROPA POINT to victory in the MR80 affair over 1400m. Drawn widest of the twelve, Europa Point raced in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the long home straight though, the Rock Of Gibraltar mare quickened very nicely and after striking the front 200m from home, she easily drew clear. Now a winner of five from nine, this sparingly raced 5yo won well and is clearly one to keep tabs on.
The first of the evenings two feature events to be run was the listed Gardenia Handicap over 1000m and here it was nice to see the 2010 Fillies Nursery winner WAYWEST GODDESS return from an eight month break in good form. Always handy, Louis Goosen’s charge ran on strongly at the business end of the race and comfortably accounted for another on the comeback trail in VARIOMETER by two.
The Gr2 Victory Moon Stakes over 1800m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the lightly weighted SMANJEMANJE registered his fourth career victory. Freely available at 33/1 on the off, Tyrone Zackey’s charge was content to race a few lengths off them in midfield for most of the journey. He began to take closer order early in the straight and after striking the front 300m out, he went on to score very easily by four from the running on ILSANPIETRO.
Titbits
Sporting blinkers for the first time, the heavily supported HLAMBA (4/1 into 22/10) ran on strongly from towards the rear when winning the maiden event over 1400m.
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Gutsy Scotwood
Greyville 12th November: The best bet on the card for most in Natal on Saturday afternoon was INJAAZAAT (28) in the maiden event over 1400m and she didn’t let down her supporters. Always deep in the red, Michael Roberts’ charge was soon up handy. The pacemaker IMALI MANIA kept on strongly in the short home straight and did have the rest well beaten. After taking a while to get going though, Injaazaat quickened nicely late and went to score quite comfortably in the end by three quarters.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by RULE THE NATION (31) when winning the MR70 affair for apprentices over 1900m. Ridden to lead early in the straight, Sean Tarry’s charge quickly went clear and won without any anxious moments by three.
A MR97 Handicap over 1600m topped the bill and here we saw another very gutsy front running performance from the Charles Laird trained SCOTWOOD (72). Just five lengths covered all for most of the journey and entering the straight plenty had chances. MAGNANIMOUS ran on best of the rest and when he got his nostrils in front 150m from home, it looked as if he would go on to score. Scotwood rallied gamely below the distance though and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got back up on the nod.
Titbits
After losing a length at the start and racing in the rear, PEACE PLAN was gaining quickly at the finish when only beaten a half length in the MR70 Handicap over 1200m.
For the second race in a row, the formless KIRIYA was running on strongly from the rear when fourth in the maiden event over 2400m.
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Shades Of Magic
Kenilworth 13th November: The easiest victory in the maiden ranks in Cape Town on Sunday was recorded by the Riaan Van Reenen trained MISS K in the 1600m event. Soon up handy, the 3yo daughter of Kahal raced prominent throughout, she was ridden to lead going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for the easy to back CHIEF PIGEON by two and a half.
The Anton Marcus ridden GENERAL ASSEMBLY was heavily supported to win the MR87 Handicap over 1000m and he didn’t let down his supporters. Backed throughout the afternoon into 11/10 from 16/10, Bill Prestage’s charge raced with the pack early on some four lengths off the pace set by the flying ISIDINGO. He quickened well from halfway and under a determined ride from our champion jockey he only got the verdict by a half from his fellow top weight CORK FOREST.
The Gr2 Betting World Merchants topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when the unfancied 6yo SHADES OF INDIGO registered his seventh career victory. Freely available at 66/1 on the off, Joey Ramsden’s charge raced towards the back end of midfield for most of the journey. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got up in the dying strides to deny the front running CAPTAIN HARRY.
Titbits
DYNASTY’S SECRET was running on strongly at the finish when only beaten a neck into second in the maiden event over 1400m.
Running on stoutly from midfield, MOMBASA won the MR84 Handicap over 1400m in good style going away.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park Race 1: No Qualifiers Race 2: (4) High Repute 36 Race 3: (5) Supreme Strike 48 Race 4: No Qualifiers Race 5: (3) Sweet Escape 39 Race 6: (3) Head For Hilton 26 Race 7: (8) Ajaccio 21 Race 8: (5) Heaven 35 Race 9: (3) Eloise 33 Vaal (Tues) Race 1: (1) Figurine 6 Race 2: (4) Fearless Gun 71 Race 3: (1) Sakkie Sakkie 8 Race 4: (2) Running Rivulet 40 Race 5: (4) Furious Dancer 82 Race 6: (9) Strike Princess 41 Race 7: (6) Ubuhle 70 Race 8: (13) Homeside 40 Greyville Race 1: (3) Constitution 21 (NAP*) Race 2: (4) Sharp Emotions 18 Race 3: (9) The Edge 28 Race 4: (1) Regal Racer 24 Race 5: (1) Las Ramblas 61 Race 6: (4) Stunning Guy 45 Race 7: (3) Arabian Empire 82 Race 8: (8) Warwickadale 63 Kenilworth Race 1: (5) Dream Again 1 Race 2: (4) The Balladeer 18 Race 3: (11) Starlight Beauty 17 Race 4: (3) Super Elegant 49 (NAP**) Race 5: (4) Omaha Beach 82 Race 6: (1) Flaming Alice 51 Race 7: (7) Bold Alliance 68 Race 8: (8) Talent Scout 51 Vaal (Thur) Race 1: (1) Vas Vites 26 Race 2: (4) Lady Fan Club 21 Race 3: (2) Rosey’s Song 18 Race 4: (1) Torman 14 Race 5: (12) Jackodore 50 (NAP*) Race 6: (7) Sun Emperor 55 Race 7: (5) Pacific Dynasty 56 Race 8: (13) Be Speedy 37 Race 9: (11) Fourth Vintage 46
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Top rated winners last week included
Smanjemanje won 33/1 Chrisaldon won 13/1 Fabiani won 6/1 Europa Point won 33/10 Link Man won 15/10 Scotwood won 15/10 General Assembly won 11/10 Injaazaat won 11/20.
Notebook:-
Big On Broadway (A Greeff, E-Cape) Europa Point (M De Kock, Gauteng).
FASTEST TIMES
(Shown in brackets is the number of races run in each category)Fairview 11th November Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (2) Gulf King Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (6) Mangaliso Fastest Long 1900-3600 (0) No Qualifiers
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Turffontein 11th November Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (1) Waywest Goddess Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (7) Europa Point Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Gorongosa.
Greyville 12th November Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (3) Singing Lord Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (3) Scotwood Fastest Long 1900-3600 (2) Rule The Nation.
Kenilworth 13th November Fastest Sprint 1000-1300 (4) Enrani Fastest Middle 1400-1800 (5) Crown Hill Fastest Long 1900-3600 (1) Orchard House
