Candice Bass-Robinson looks to have a serious up-and-coming sprinter on her hands in the shape of Ian Longmore’s 4yo Tenango, who won Monday’s Gr3 Champagne Stakes in the fastest 1200m of the afternoon at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.
Tenango Returns under Andrew Fortune (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
In this week’s Time Is Money insert, we look at various times over the two racemeetings under review and remind readers that sectional timing data is an important scientific complimentary tool of the trade for punters and racing enthusiasts, and can enhance both the form study and horseracing viewing experience on both KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape race meetings.
Hollywoodbets Kenilworth – 21 April 2025
Track Condition
Going: Good to Soft (straight & bend)
Penetrometer: 25 straight – 26 bend
Rain: Last 7 days Nil
Irrigation: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 5mm
False Rail: 3m out from 1200m with 2m spur at 600m mark
Wind: 32-39km/h South Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 0,93s fast straight – 0,46s fast bend
Gr3 Champagne Stakes 1200m
In what proved to be by far the fastest of the three 1200m events on the card, we saw a very smart performance from the progressive Canford Cliffs gelding TENANGO.
Now A winner of five from thirteen, Candice Bass-Robinson’s charge raced eighth off a true pace. He worked his way through the field easily when given rein and struck the front 100m out. He drew clear easily from there onwards and recording by far the fastest 400m to finish time of the afternoon, he cruised in by two.
Tenango has been going from strength to strength since undergoing a wind operation, and clearly won’t be stopping here.
Two 1400m Races
Run at a fair pace throughout, the maiden juvenile plate was the faster of the two 1400m events. On leaving the stalls it was Supposeyou’veheard who elected to make the running whilst the heavily supported winner RANDOLPH HEARST (7/2 into 17/10) sat close up in fifth. The newly installed favourite quickened well at the business end of the race and after striking the front 100m from home, won well by a half.
Two 1700m Races
The easy to back Jet A One set strong sections in the quicker of the two maiden events over 1700m. Indeed, he rounded the turn in a minimum of 1,4 seconds faster than the other four races negotiating the bend. He kept on surprisingly well given that gallant effort and only went down by three quarters of a length. Caught for early toe in what soon became a strung out field then, the eventual winner SHOW OFF raced towards the rear some ten lengths off the pace early on. He ran on best of all in the home straight and under a well-judged ride from Richard Fourie, he put his head in front 70m from home.
Quickies
Tipped by her rider Andrew Fortune when interviewed at the races last week, HUNGA TONGA won the slowly run maiden event over 1400m with plenty in hand. She was eased considerably late on and as a result, her two-length advantage quickly evaporated into just one length.
Fastest Times:
1200m (3) Tenango 70,82
1400m (2) Randolph Hearst 88,64
1700m (2) Show Off 106,07
400-finish Tenango 22,85
Hollywoodbets Greyville 20 April
Track Condition
Going: Soft
Penetrometer: 29
Rain: Last 24 hours Nil – Last 7 days 126mm
Irrigation: Last 7 days Nil
False Rail: 7m
Wind: 10-15km/h North Easterly head wind
Course Variant: 3,22s slow
Powerful Snaith Stable
The stable of Justin Snaith has been firing on all cylinders since arriving for this Champions’ season and contesting just four races here, they produced two winners, two seconds, and a fourth placing.
OKAVANGO in what proved to be the fastest of the three 1800m races was the best bet on the card for many, and the 3yo son of Master Of My Fate didn’t let down his supporters.
Allowed to flirt with 4/10 at one stage, Okavango was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m marker by Andrew Fortune and with plenty in handy won a lot more easily than the official winning margin of a length and a half would suggest.
An A Stakes over 1600m topped the bill and in the faster of the two events over the distance the stable of Justin Snaith were again on the mark when UNDERWORLD registered his fifth career victory.
In a time over a second and a half faster than the only other race over the distance, a C Stakes, the Querari gelding was always handy. His stable companion Get Impressed got first run and struck the front passing the 200m marker. Underworld ran on strongly from there onwards though, and in what proved to be a real thriller he got the verdict by a neck.
Three 1400m Races
Western Cape trainer Dean Kannemeyer has also announced his arrival in KZN in no uncertain terms and he was on the mark with one of his two runners here when AVERSATOR opened his account in the Maiden Juvenile Plate.
In what surprisingly proved to be the fastest of the three 1400m events, the Rafeef colt sat fifth in a tightly bunched field. He quickened well at the top of the straight and recording the fastest 400m to finish time in the race, he won with authority by three.
Quickies
Backed as if the result had already been posted, HARUN AL RASHID registered a very good 400m to finish time on the day when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over 1800m.
Fastest Times:
1400m (3) Aversator 88,36
1600m (2) Underworld 99,13
1800m (3) Okavango 113,66
