Mission Accomplished
Kenilworth 31st December: Three of the eight races on New Year’s Eve were run over 1600m and the fastest of these was the MR75 Handicap won by WHAT A MISSION. Having only his second outing following a 21 month break, the lightly raced son of Elusive Quality was always in touch with the leaders. Both he and MUSICAL MAN ran on stoutly over the final 400m and in what proved to be a real thriller, he got the verdict by a neck.
The faster of the two 1200m events was the MR72 Handicap won by LINE BREAK. Allowed to drift considerably at the track (15/10fav out to 4/1) as money came in buckets for the aptly named PLAYINGTHEENEMY, the top weight raced sixth of the seven for the first half of the race. He quickened well at the business end of the race though, and went on to beat the front running money horse with plenty in hand by a length and a half. Line Break has now won two from three.
Another deposed favourite to win very comfortably on this card was STEM IN DIE BOS in the opening maiden plate over 1200m. Taken straight to the front by Bernard Fayd’Herbe, the son of Trippi led throughout. He was visibly cruising 400m out and only had to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race to beat the newly installed favourite THE TRIPSTER (18/10 into 1/1) by three and a quarter.
Titbits
EVOKE EMOTION only had to be pushed out when winning the maiden plate over 1600m.
The nibbled at ZAKUSKA came from the rear when winning the MR67 Handicap over 2000m.
OVIDIO won the maiden plate over 1800m with authority by a length and three quarters.
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Hat-trick For Dan
Turffontein 1st January: They raced on the inner track on New Year’s Day where the fastest time amongst the three 1450m races was recorded by the Makaarem mare LAVISH GAL. Winning for just the third time in 42 starts here, the 6yo grey adopted a change of tactics here and raced handy. She ran on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for SOFT SAND by three quarters.
The only other distance on the afternoon to feature more than one race was 1000m, and the faster of the two events here was the MR80 Handicap won by the hat-trick seeking 3yo DOING IT FOR DAN. Sent off a warm favourite at 16/10, Louis Goosen’s charge sat in midfield for most of the journey. The easy to back CHIEF SIOUX was the first to make a move and he did have the remainder beaten by a minimum of three and a half lengths after striking the front 200m out. Running on best of all though, the Windrush gelding was produced with a typically well-judged run by Piere Strydom, and got up late to win going away by a half.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by ELUSIVE FLYER in the maiden plate over 2600m. Backed into favouritism at the track (4/1 into 3/1), Stuart Pettigrew’s charge finished well from midfield. He struck the front going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the running on (came from a similar position) FRIKKIE by two and a quarter.
Titbits
The newcomer EPSOM DOWNS ran on well from the rear when only beaten a length in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Ton In Hand
Greyville 2nd January: They raced on both surfaces on Friday night with the lion’s share of the races taking place on the poly.
The Gr3 Flamboyant Stakes (turf) topped the bill and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1600m events, victory here went to the classy SAME JURISDICTION. The winner of the prestigious Gr1 Thekwini Stakes over the course and distance on her last outing back in July, the daughter of Mambo In Seattle raced sixth of the nine for most of the journey. She was clearly cruising as she took up the running 300m out and with a ton in hand went on to score by four. Same Jurisdiction has now won four from five.
Another to win with lengths to spare on this card was ICE PACK in the faster of the two maiden plates over 1600m (poly). Well supported at the track the 11/10 favourite made all. He was always clear and won without any anxious moments by four and a half.
The faster of the two 1200m maiden plates on the poly was the boy’s division won by NATIONAL APPROVAL. Always in the red, the son of Miesque’s Approval sat fourth early on. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m marker and although HOLD THE LINE did run on strongly from midfield, he did have that one held by three quarters at the wire.
Titbits
The 3yo ART DECO won the fillies’ maiden plate over 1600m (poly) with plenty in hand by four and a quarter.
Despite being drawn wide, and then stumbling after clipping heels early on, DANISH ZEALOT ran on well from the rear when winning the MR69 Handicap over 1600m (turf) by a length.
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Making Money
Kenilworth 3rd January: Racing returned to Kenilworth on Saturday where victory in the opening 800m scurry went to the Elusive Fort colt ERNIE. Sent off second in the betting market at 7/2, Mike Bass’ charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 200m pole and won well by a length from the always handy GALAXY KING.
The faster of the afternoon’s two 1400m maiden plates was the boy’s affair in which ULTIMATE DOLLAR registered a very easy victory. The focus of solid support at the track (8/10 into 5/10), the 3yo son of Jet Master raced close up in fourth for most of the journey. He took up the running as they approached the 300m marker and cruised clear in the closing stages of the race to score by five and a half.
Another to win very comfortably on this card was RATATOUILLE in the maiden plate over 1800m. Freely available at 7/1 on the off, the daughter of Tobe Or Nottobe made all. She was a length and a half clear turning for home and despite the efforts of the chasing ROUGE BERRY she extended her advantage to four and a quarter over the final 600m.
Titbits
Having only her third career outing here the 3yo DEPUTY RYDER showed considerable improvement when running on from the rear to finish runner up (beaten just a neck) in the maiden plate over 1400m.
Runner up SILVER IMAGE didn’t find the clearest of passages when running on from the rear in the MR71 Handicap over 2500m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (mon)
Race 1: (5) Rock Of Victory 8
Race 2: (2) Indian Hawk 73
Race 3: (1) Sleepinseattle 12
Race 4: (1) Ideal Countess 17
Race 5: (11) Fiscardo 64
Race 6: (3) Blackmalkin 69
Race 7: (12) Dancinginthedesert 62
Race 8: (8) Black Banca 56
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (2) Phuket 13
Race 2: (3) King Of Cloth 6
Race 3: (12) Tripp Force 29
Race 4: (4) Scotsnog 24 (NAP*)
Race 5: (4) Pyramus 29
Race 6: (1) Irish Grace 17
Race 7: (6) Zrinski 52 (nb)
Race 8: (6) Turbo Tom 52
Race 9: (1) One Man’s Dream 74
Race 10: (11) Samogan 77
Kenilworth (wed)
Race 1: (6) Carmina 11
Race 2: (1) Upper Echelon 18
Race 3: (3) Smart D’argent 13
Race 4: (9) Ipsissima 22
Race 5: (1) Alzerra 31
Race 6: (8) Paradise Horse 39
Race 7: (2) Gulf Stream 78
Race 8: (7) Turnstone 61
Race 9: (6) Ignition Lady 43
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (7) Turnuptheheat 1 (NAP*)
Race 2: (4) See You 11
Race 3: (1) Majestic K 8
Race 4: (5) Waltraut 41
Race 5: (5) Klondike Creek 40
Race 6: (1) Royal Trip 25
Race 7: (2) Kapitan 62
Race 8: (2) Jade Vine 65
Race 9: (3) Smart Mart 33
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Top rated winners last week included
Hunger Games won 13/2
Solar Star won 6/1
Vino Veritas won 11/2
Dwyka won 7/2
Flaming Ace won 22/10
Evoke Emotion won 18/10
Stem In Die Bos won 18/10
Art Deco won 15/20
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Notebook:-
Same Jurisdiction (D Howells, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (new) 31st December:
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (1) Night Of Stars 58,89
1200m (2) Line Break 73,05
1600m (3) What A Mission 101,39*
1800m (1) Ovidio 113,46
2000m (1) Zakuska 125,88
Turffontein 1st January
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (2) Doing It For Dan 58,59
1450m (3) Lavish Gal 89,59
1600m (1) Flaming Ace 100,71
1800m (1) Alghadeer 112,42
2200m (1) Vino Veritas 139,57
2600m (1) Elusive Flyer 170,24
Greyville 2nd January
Poly 1-5 Good/Turf 6-8 Good
1200m (2) National Approval 72,02*P
1400m (1) Supreme Power 83,36P
1600m (2) Ice Pack 98,17P
1600m (2) Same Jurisdiction 96,97T
2400m (1) Beewithmee 151,98T
Kenilworth (new) 3rd January
Penetrometer 23 – Going Good
800m (1) Ernie 47,29
1000m (1) Muskets ‘n Roses 58,50
1200m (1) Cardinal 70,35
1400m (2) Ultimate Dollar 86,55
1600m (1) Princess Eleanor 101,22
1800m (1) Ratatouille 116,88
2500m (1) Juddering Angel 160,21
