Eye On the Weights
Scottsville 15th February: Unlike the original schedule, all of the races took place on the old stand side track on Sunday. Three of these were run over 1600m and fastest against the clock was the 5yo CARIBBEAN DAY when winning the MR86 Handicap. Freely available at 12/1 on the off, Mark Dixon’s charge was a little slow into stride and as a result he raced at the back early on. Once in the straight though he quickened best of all, and won going away after striking the front 100m or so from home.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m was the first division won by BURRA BOY. Well supported on course, the 5/2 second favourite (op 4/1) was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and comfortably accounted for the easy to back GUILTY AS CHARGED by two and three quarters.
The afternoon’s feature event was a pinnacle stakes over 1600m and as is often the case in these types of events victory here went to the best weighted runner in the field ADMIRAL’S EYE. Backed into favouritism at the track, the daughter of Admire Man led throughout. The pace was a very steady one and in what proved to be a false paced affair, she just held on by a neck from the always second positioned CAPTAIN’S DAUGHTER.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by the unfancied RECONSIDER BABY when opening her account in the maiden 1600m. Unable to get within 9,75 lengths of a winner in each of her five previous racecourse appearances, the 33/1 shot also made all. She was three lengths clear coming off the bend and despite shifting around over the final 300m she more than doubled her advantage.
Titbits
The newcomer BAAHIR won the maiden juvenile plate over 1200m with authority by three.
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Diesel Hat-trick
Vaal 17th February: A maiden plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on the Vaal’s inside track on Tuesday and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Sean Tarry trained SEVEN STARS. Well supported on course into 9/2 from 6/1, the daughter of Rebel King was soon positioned close to the speed. She put her head in front going through the 200m and only having to be pushed out below the distance she won going away by three and three quarters.
Another well supported runner to win with lengths to spare in the maiden ranks here was PEPE in the 2400m event. Eventually sent off at 7’s after opening up at 14/1, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced in midfield for most of the journey. He made his move early in the long home straight and went on to score with authority by four and a quarter after striking the front 500m out.
Four of the afternoon’s eight races were run over 1700m and the fastest of these was the MR73 Handicap won by the improving 3yo DIESEL JET. Completing a hat-trick here, the 16/10 favourite (op 5/2) was always handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 300m and although he only got the verdict over COCKADE by a neck, he did have that one held at the wire.
A MR90 Handicap over the same distance topped the bill and in a time over three quarters of a second slower than that of Diesel Jet, ORCHESTRATED landed the spoils. Attempting to make all it looked as if the 4yo would have to settle for a place when the ultra-consistent 6yo HENRY HIGGINS put his head in front at the 300m marker. Orchestrated rallied gamely once headed though and in what proved to be a real thriller it was only by the narrowest of margins that Sean Tarry’s charge got back up.
Titbits
Finishing strongly from the rear, MAAYAAT was baulked for a run 400m out when only failing to reel in the gutsy WITHBATEDBREATH by a neck in the MR74 Handicap over 1800m.
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Full Of Promise
Scottsville 18th February: Six of the eight races in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the well above average graduation plate won by LONDON CALL. Soon up handy despite being a little slow into stride, the lightly raced son of Kahal raced prominent throughout. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly in the latter stages of the race to beat the talented KOCHKA (returning from an eight month break) by two and a quarter. London Calling has now won two from three.
The only race to take place over 1400m was the MR76 Handicap in which the 5yo UMOYANA caused an upset. Sent off as the rank outsider of the fourteen horse party at 66/1, the Ravishing mare was always handy. She made her move at the top of the straight and went on to beat the favourite SE AGABOR fair and square by three quarters.
The only other distance to be raced over was 1000m and successful in the MR69 Handicap here was GOLDEN MIRABILIS. On leaving the stalls it was the supported outsider KADEZE (25/1 into 8/1) who elected to make the running whilst Garth Puller’s charge raced close up in third. She put her head in front going through the 100m and in a race where less than a length separated the first four home, she only got the verdict by a half. HERE WE ARE and FADE TO GREY both ran on well from midfield when 2nd & 4th respectively in this race.
All the rage to win the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1200m was the Mike De Kock trained newcomer ALMASHOOQA. Initially priced up at 5/10, the daughter of Bernardini was allowed to flirt with 1/5 at one point before eventually settling at 1/4. She led from pillar to post and as the betting market had suggested, she won without any anxious moments by four.
Titbits
The 25/1 shot RACING FOR FUN showed enormous improvement when running on from midfield to win the maiden 1200m going away by four and three quarters.
The 11/20 favourite TIPTOL won the girl’s maiden plate over 1200m going away by two and a quarter.
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Surprise Pot
Vaal 19th February: As with Scottsville, six of the races on the outside track on Thursday were run over 1200m, and surprisingly the quickest home amongst these was SARVE in the fillies & mares MR87 Handicap. The improving daughter of Sarge got away well when the gates opened and soon up handy raced prominent throughout. She was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and comfortably accounted for NTOMBE (who had beaten her on 2,5kg more favourable terms last time out) by a length.
A MR100 Handicap over the same distance topped the bill and in a time 0,27 seconds slower than that of Sarve, the 4yo AURUM POT caused an upset. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, Alec Laird’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He took up the running shortly after passing halfway and went on to beat the well supported 13/10 favourite MOOFEED fair and square by two and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the ten race program was recorded by VERGE in the lucky last, a maiden plate over 1200m. Always top of the boards (28/10 into 15/10), Sean Tarry’s charge led throughout. She was always in command and won well from her running on stable companion KALANCHOE. The runner up finished strongly after being baulked for a run 400m out.
Titbits
FINCHHATTON ran on well from midfield when winning the maiden 1400m in good style by three.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (5) Mock Mambo 8
Race 2: (5) Rock Of Victory 12
Race 3: (2) Seattle Lass 17
Race 4: (1) Dance And Destroy 29 (EW)
Race 5: (3) Silent Partner 75
Race 6: (5) Way Clear 67
Race 7: (8) Icefire 72
Race 8: (2) Miss Saigon 76 (NAP*)
Race 9: (6) The Ford 38
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (1) Sabre Edge 25
Race 2: (2) Ginger Biscuit 18
Race 3: (11) Chief Admiral 35
Race 4: (1) Goodnight Seattle 5 (NAP*)
Race 5: (8) Yesan Star 58
Race 6: (9) Shivrani 45
Race 7: (3) Miss Stingray 30
Race 8: (10) Josie’s Girl 40
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (9) Miracle Rising 7
Race 2: (4) Cryptic Clue 7
Race 3: (8) Romantic Balladeer 56
Race 4: (6) Classic Illusion 80
Race 5: (9) Be Mine Tonight 85 (NAP*)
Race 6: (8) Readytogorightnow 90
Race 7: (1) Same Jurisdiction 72
Race 8: (1) Harry’s Son 87
Race 9: (11) Savage Wind 78
Race 10: (3) Alcanina 47
Durbanville (sat)
Race 1: (7) Noisette 5
Race 2: (1) Cosmic Code 14 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Eternal Love 13 (nb)
Race 4: (2) Arezzo 13
Race 5: (8) Oh So Modus 39
Race 6: (7) Evening Storm 68
Race 7: (7) Lane Frost 53
Race 8: (10) Inn Action 38
Grevyille
Race 1: (8) Seek The Summit 1
Race 2: (4) Roc ‘n Rose 63
Race 3: (1) Surefire 58
Race 4: (1) Kochka 66
Race 5: (1) Shezamatador 19
Race 6: (9) David’s Flower 62
Race 7: (10) Here We Are 42
Race 8: (11) Silver Matador 13 (NAP*)
Top rated winners last week included
Caribbean Day won 12/1
Irish Grace won 7/1
Scrum Half won 11/2
Burra Boy won 5/2
Admiral’s Eye won 18/10
Verge won 15/10
Queen’s Advance won 13/10
Tiptol won 11/20
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Notebook:-
Almashooqa (M De Kock, KZN)
Baahir (M De Kock, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (old) 15th February
Penetrometer 25 – Going G/Soft
1000m (1) Royalsecuritypower 59,43
1200m (1) Baahir 72,23
1400m (2) Burra Boy 86,95
1600m (3) Caribbean Day 99,85
2400m (1) Qatar Springs 156,94
Vaal (inside) 17th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Seven Stars 57,48
1400m (1) First Dance 82,71
1700m (4) Diesel Jet 101,58
1800m (1) Withbatedbreath 109,41
2400m (1) Pepe 149,30
Scottsville (inside) 18th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Golden Mirabilis 58,16
1200m (6) London Call 69,42
1400m (1) Umoyana 86,09
Vaal (outside) 19th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (1) Manx Park 56,53
1200m (6) Sarve 68,01
1400m (2) Seventh Heart 81,22
1600m (1) Irish Grace 95,72
