Sound And Vision

Unusually Small Fields

Fairview 22^nd November: A maiden plate over 1000m was first up in the Eastern Cape on Friday and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the Gavin Smith trained DYNAMO LADY. Freely available at 14/1 on the off, the daughter of Dynasty raced in midfield early on. She ran on strongly from halfway and won well after striking the front 100m from home.

A conditions plate over 2400m was next up and here it was no surprise to see the best weighted runner in the small field of five SILVAN SPIRIT do the business. The best bet on the card for most the 4/10 favourite sat second for most of the journey. She took up the running as they approached the 400m pole and comfortably accounted for the all out MISS DIANA by a length and a half.

The afternoon’s feature event was the non-black type Guineas Plate won by the Bezrin gelding BRIAR KING. In what was another field reduced to just five runners due to scratchings, Yvette Bremner’s charge led from pillar to post. The well supported KING OF INDIANS ran on strongly over the final 400m, but he did have that one held by three quarters at the wire.

The two races held on the polytrack were both run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR90 Handicap won by VAUCLAIR. Always handy, Tara Laing’s charge quickened well in the straight and with the rest well beaten he comfortably accounted for the useful LE VAR by a length and a half.

Titbits

The recent maiden winner KOENIGSEGG came from the backend of midfield when getting up late to beat the more fancied Lemon Fizz in the MR70 Handicap over 1400.

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King Louis Rumbles Lion

Vaal 23^rd November: Three of the ten races on the inside track on Saturday were run over 1400m and victorious in the fastest of these, a MR72 Handicap, was the aptly named START YOUR ENGINES. Taken straight to the front by Francois Naude the son of Joshua Dancer led from pillar to post. He kept up a healthy gallop throughout and won without any anxious moments by two and a half.

A workrider’s maiden event over the same distance had gotten proceedings underway and here we saw a comfortable victory for the Mike De Kock trained newcomer MOOFED. Ridden to lead going through the 500m by Chamu Mabaya, the son of Duke Of Marmalade kept on strongly at the business end of the race and won well from a fair sort in FLAMING ACE by two.

Another to win well in the maiden ranks on this card was SARGE IN CHARGE in the 2000m event. Soon positioned close to the speed St John Gray’s charge took up the running 600m out and won going away by two and a half.

The faster of the two 1700m races on the card was the MR76 Handicap in which we saw a smart performance from the unbeaten LOUIS THE KING. Content to track the 7/2 favourite RUMBLING LION in the backend of midfield for most of the journey, Geoff Woodruff’s charge made his move as they approached the 600m pole. He struck the front going through the 400m and although he could be a little flattered by the 2,25 length winning margin over Rumbling Lion (had to switch 100m out), he did have the rest well beaten. Two to follow.

Titbits

SERRURIA and SUGAREE both finished well when 1^st & 2^nd respectively in the maiden 1700m.

Detached at the rear early on, the rejuvenated veteran KAYHALADIN (won last time out) finished best of all when only beaten a length in the MR84 Handicap over 1000m.

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America Rules

Kenilworth 23^rd November: With the Cape season now in full swing we saw some smart performances on Saturday, amongst them that of ICE MACHINE in the Gr2 Greenpoint Stakes over 1600m. One of three runners from the stable of Dean Kannemeyer the 16/1 shot sat in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well at the top of the straight and under a well judged ride from Kevin Shea he got up very late to deny last season’s Selangor Cup winner KING OF PAIN.

This season’s Selangor Cup was next up and in another tight finish victory here went to the Dynasty colt DE KOCK. On leaving the stalls it was the 50/1 shot JUDDERING ANGEL who elected to make the running whilst Brett Crawford’s charge sat in midfield. The fancied LEGISLATE also ran on very well from midfield and in a thrilling finish it was only by 0,4 of a length that De Kock got the verdict. Also worth a mention in this race is the fifth placed runner POWER KING. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge was positioned in the rear turning for home and beaten just two lengths finished as well as anything.

The highly regarded RED RAY was sent off a strong favourite to win the R2M Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m and on striking the front 450m from home he looked to have done everything right. Tracking him throughout though was the rapidly improving CAPTAIN AMERICA and when battle commenced 200m out the rest were soon left trailing in their wake. Red Ray ran on strongly over the final 200m, but try as he might he couldn’t hold on to Captain America who went on to score by a length and a quarter going away.

Titbits

Lightly raced FIDELITY won the maiden 1600m very comfortably with some in hand.

After running on from midfield the veteran PADDY O’REILLY won the slowly run listed Kenilworth Cup over 3200m going away.

Although never a threat to the winner, FORT NELSON ran on well from the back when fourth in the MR84 Handicap over 1200m.

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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-

Top rated winners last week included

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