A superb weekend of competitive feature racing is behind us and we look forward to a potential Hollywoodbets Durban July gamechanger in the shape of the WSB Gr3 1900 in Durban on Saturday.
There were some standout performances, including Great Plains’ ring-rusty effort for third in the IOS Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes, where he clocked the fastest 400m to finish on the Champions Season opening day.
Sectional timing data can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings, and here are our Time Is Money observations.
The grey 3yo Great Plains (Richard Fourie) was beaten just a quarter length by See It Again under Raymond Danielson (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth (summer course) 4 May
Track Condition
Going: Good
Penetrometer: 22
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 12mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 1m out from 1700m with a 2m spur at 600m
Wind: 7-14km/h North Westerly tail wind
Course Variant: 1,87s fast
Gr3 Winter Nursery 1100m
Backed into 11/10 clear favourite at the track, the Vaughan Marshall trained DREAMWORLD was allowed to dictate matters in the Gr3 Winter Nursery and led by three quarters of a length for most of the journey.
Although not a fast run race, the pace was ultra consistent. Indeed, other than the final segment, less than a tenth of a second separated all of his 200m segments. The field was tightly bunched going through the 400m and he was only really asked to race 250m out.
He ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race and beat the running on grey Absolutely Yes (dropped rein at finish) by a length. After racing detached at the rear some eight lengths off the pace, sixth placed Demanding Dave (troublesome loading) recorded the fastest time in each of the final three 200m segments of this race. He also recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon. Interestingly, jockey Craig Zackey reported that he felt something was amiss with Demanding Dave. Nothing was detected by the veterinary surgeon though.
Gr3 Legal Eagle Stakes 1800m
It looked as if we might be in for a slow run affair during the first few hundred metres of the race, but that soon changed when the rank outsider of the eight-horse party Otto Luyken (carried 0,9kg overweight) took the bull by the horns approaching the turn. They were much quicker on the bend than the other two events to round the turn, and the race was won in a time just 1,5 seconds outside the course record. The son of Flower Alley kept on surprisingly well in the straight and only relinquished the lead to the odds on favourite GARRIX 200m out. Otto Luyken found extra when headed and in what proved to be an absolute thriller, the all-out Garrix only got the verdict by a short head.
Running on strongly from six lengths off the pace at the back, Mucho Dinero only failed to get up by a neck and not surprisingly recorded the fastest 400m to finish time in the race.
Ladies Mile (L) 1600m
Callmegetrix made the running in the Ladies Mile and although the race wasn’t particularly fast early on, she did increase the tempo with each segment from halfway around the turn.
She ran on strongly all the way to the wire and only went down by a half after being headed by TIME FOR LOVE 150m from home. In a race where just three quarters of a length separated the first six past the post several were flying at the finish with the fastest of all over the final 400m being third placed Gimmethatpearl.
Quickies
When interviewed after race 2 Richard Fourie said that Clair De Lune (runner up) is probably the best maiden in the country.
Jockey Gavin Lerena rode the winners of all three feature races on this card.
Fastest Times:
1000m (2) The Us Of A 57,45
1100m (3) Tanneron 64,02
1200m (2) Dumbledore 69,43
1800m (2) Garrix 109,80
400-finish Demanding Dave 22,60
Hollywoodbets Greyville 3 May
Track Condition
Going: Soft
Penetrometer: 27
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 36mm
Irrigation: Last 7days Nil
False Rail: 6m
Wind: 20-35km/h South Westerly tail wind
Course Variant: 0,72s slow
Independent On Saturday Insider Listed East Coast Cup 2000m
The first of the afternoon’s four feature events to be run was the East Coast Cup and in what comparatively proved to be the slowest race of the afternoon MASCHERINA took her tally to five wins from just 14 starts.
There was no pace on in the early stages and trying the distance for the first time Peter Muscutt’s charge raced some six lengths off the leader in ninth. The race still looked wide open 250m from home, but recording the fastest 400m to finish time, Mascherina took command 150m out, and won well by just over a length from Hat’s Queen. The runner up ran on very well below the distance.
Independent On Saturday Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes 1400m
The pace was a much fairer one in the Drill Hall and as such plenty ran on well in the straight. After the field was not particularly quick away the 40/1 shot Texan Red injected some pace and set good fractions around the bend before being easily picked off in the straight.
The heavily supported winner GLADATORIAN (8/1 into 9/2 fav) meanwhile raced eighth some six lengths off the pace and soon began to make headway in the straight. The 5yo son of Vercingetorix ran on strongly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish he only got the verdict by a short head from the always handy See It Again. Back in third was Great Plains and interestingly, beaten just a neck, he recorded the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon.
WSB Gr2 Fillies Guineas 1600m
Neither of the Guineas’ were fast run affairs and both in different ways were won off a false pace. The fillies broke fairly well, but with no real pace on around the bend several of the runners became unsettled at some stage. The winner MON PETIT CHERIE raced sixth and only three lengths adrift of the leader was always poised to strike. She ran on strongly when the race developed into a sprint in the straight and won well by a half from the well supported favourite Spumante Dolce. Very interestingly, the fastest 400m to finish time in this race was recorded by Little Suzie who finished ninth beaten 2,75 lengths.
WSB Gr2 Guineas 1600m
Just seven went to post for the top liner and with no confirmed front runners amongst them the pace was always going to be a concern.
They went visibly slowly on leaving the stalls and coming off the bend they were no quicker than the fillies 40 minutes earlier. The heavily supported favourite COSMIC SPEED (4/1 into 13/10) made the running and kept on determinedly in the straight. The winner SAIL THE SEAS meanwhile sat in the box seat in second and moved up to challenge 250m out.
Cosmic Speed found extra at that point, but couldn’t hold on to Justin Snaith’s charge below the distance and he was also passed late by the Cape Met and Derby winner Eight On Eighteen. The runner up who was expected to be a little in need of the outing recorded the fastest 400m to finish time in the race.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) That’s My Baby 71,85
1400m (2) Gladatorian 84,24
1600m (2) Sail The Seas 97,90
400-finish Gladatorian 21,85
