Easy Peasy
Greyville 8th February: This was the meeting originally scheduled to take place at Scottsville. A maiden juvenile plate over 1000m got proceedings underway on the poly track on Sunday and in a time faster than that of the maiden plate over the same distance, CHOSEN DASH registered a very easy victory. Taken straight to the front by Sean Veale, the son of Muhtafal led throughout. He was just a length ahead coming off the bend and cruised clear in the straight to score by seven and three quarters.
Another to score with lengths to spare was OLMA in the faster of the two 1800m events, a MR80 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and was soon up handy. She was ridden to lead going through the 300m and won going away by five and a half.
There was another easy victory in the fastest of the three 1400m races, a MR95 Handicap, where TUSCAN landed the spoils. Always handy, Kom Naidoo’s charge took up the running 200m out and won going away by four.
Titbits
Although never a threat to the winner, SILVER MATADOR ran on well, and made up many lengths from the rear when runner up in the maiden over 1400m.
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Back Sprinting
Greyville 10th February: They raced on both surfaces on Tuesday afternoon where the fastest of the six 1200m races on the poly track was the bill topping MR94 Handicap won by ROYAL ZULU WARRIOR. Backed into joint favouritism at the track, the apprentice ridden son of Mossman made all. He was always in command and despite shifting across the track over the final 300m, won comfortably by three.
Race seven on the card was a maiden plate over 2400m and here we saw a very easy victory for the 4yo SUGARBUZZ. He was a little slow into stride when the gates opened, but despite that was soon up handy. He took up the running going through the 400m and won going away by three.
The not so lucky last was a maiden plate over 1600m and here a major upset was to be had when the 25/1 shot PURE VALOR opened his account. Always in touch with the leaders despite being poorly drawn, the son of Dynasty made his move early in the straight, and under a well-judged ride from Ian Sturgeon he got up late to deny another 25/1 shot DAGGER FALL.
Titbits
DESTINED FOR DAWN ran on well from midfield when only beaten a neck in the maiden plate over 1200m.
Poorly drawn STIRLING LEAVES ran on strongly from the backend of midfield when only beaten a neck in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Instant Millionaire
Turffontein 10th February: In terms of prize money the non-black type graduates race over 1400m topped the bill on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening, and becoming an instant millionaire here (R1,25M first prize) was the favourite SIREN’S CALL. Positioned towards the rear early on, Sean Tarry’s charge looked to have more than enough to do coming off the bend. Once in the long home straight though the daughter of Elusive Fort steadily worked her way into contention and under a well-judged ride from Piere Strydom she got up late to score by a length. Poorly drawn EASY LOVER ran on very well from the rear to finish third in this race.
There were three races run over 1400m in total and in a time close on a second quicker than that of Siren’s Call CHEKILLI registered his fifth career victory from just twelve starts. Racing for a purse of over R1,1M less than that of Siren’s Call, Alec Laird’s charge made all. He was always clear and won without any anxious moments by three and three quarters.
There were also three races run over 1000m and fastest against the clock in these was MOOFEED when landing the Gr3 Tommy Hotspur Handicap. Allowed to drift as if a win was out of the question (8/1 out to 20/1), Mike De Kock’s charge having his third run after a rest raced in midfield early on. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing halfway and kept on strongly late to beat ONE MAN’S DREAM by a neck. A short head behind that one in third was the favourite WILLOW MAGIC (13/10 into 7/10). He was finishing best of all.
Titbits
CLOSE RELATIVE and OFF THE MARK were both disadvantaged by a slipped saddle when 1st & 2nd respectively in the maiden plate over 1160m.
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La La La La La Bomba
Kenilworth 11th February: Maiden plates over 1000m got proceedings underway in Cape Town on Wednesday and fastest against the clock in these was OVAR. Always in the red, Yogis Govender’s charge raced fourth during the early part of the race just three lengths off the pace set by the uneasy second favourite BREATHLES BERTIE. He was always travelling well and picked off the pacemaker with ease when given rein to score very cosily by two and three quarters.
The afternoon’s feature event was a MR92 Handicap and in what not surprisingly proved to be the faster of the two 1400m events, the deposed favourite TOMBA LA BOMBA landed the spoils. Allowed to ease out to 3/1 from 28/10 at the track as money came for the aptly named PLAYINGTHEENEMY, Mike Bass’ charge was always handy. He was asked to take up the running shortly after passing the 200m marker and kept on strongly over the final 100m to fend off a determined challenge from the money horse.
By far the faster of the two 2000m handicaps was the MR70 affair won by ROYAL DREAMER. Run in a time over 4 seconds faster than that of the MR78 Handicap, the 3yo Rebel King gelding raced in the rear for most of the journey. Once in the new course straight though he ran on best of all and won going away by a length after striking the front close home.
Titbits
Having only her second career outing here, GARDEN FEATURE was flying at the finish when beaten by the narrowest of margins in the maiden plate over 1200m.
MISS LINK ran on well from the backend of midfield when a length and a quarter third in the MR68 Handicap over 1200m.
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Fine Weather Track
Vaal 12th February: Initially billed as an all-weather track, racing had to be moved from the sand to the outside track on the turf after just one race on Thursday. The opener at the scheduled Vaal’s sand track meeting on Thursday was a maiden plate over 1000m and here we saw a very easy victory for the 3yo CORAL KEY. On leaving the stalls it was another costly to follow runner in CROWN BEARER (19th start) who elected to make the running whilst Corne Spies’ charge (23rd start) raced close up in second. She took up the running as they approached the 300m pole and won very easily by three and a half.
After the scratching of his only serious rival MY TREASURE, CEDAR WOOD always looked to be a good thing in the maiden plate over 1200m and so it proved to be. Soon positioned close to the speed, the 4/10 favourite took up the running shortly after passing halfway and although he did have to work a bit harder than expected he won comfortably by a length.
Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1400m (originally scheduled for 1450m) and fastest against the clock here was BE MINE TONIGHT in the pinnacle stakes. Sent Off second in the betting market at 22/10, the Jet Master filly raced second for most of the journey just a length and a half off the front running CAPTAIN’S DELIGHT. She was ridden to lead as they approached the 300m pole and won going away by three and a half.
Titbits
COUNTESS BACARDI ran on well from the back when runner up in the MR64 Handicap over 1000m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (8) Pretty Flamingo 7
Race 2: (4) Coco 81 (EW)
Race 3: (5) Royal Jubilee 12
Race 4: (11) Black Balladeer 45
Race 5: (8) Deepo 64
Race 6: (1) Nile Symphony 61
Race 7: (7) Shimmer And Shine 63
Race 8: (10) Sissy Gray 45
Race 9: (11) Sir Swarovski 35
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (11) Queen’s Advance 12
Race 2: (12) Dodge City 60
Race 3: (3) Slewsgate 15
Race 4: (4) Nanojet 33
Race 5: (3) Scrum Half 52
Race 6: (10) Caprivi Strip 50
Race 7: (4) D’Vash 23
Race 8: (11) Dellavera 7
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (1) La Di Var 16 (NAP*)
Race 2: (6) Rising Sunset 12
Race 3: (2) Smart D’argent 14
Race 4: (3) Castlethorpe 84 (EW)
Race 5: (6) Turnstone 68
Race 6: (10) Lion’s Roar 103
Race 7: (4) Lanner Falcon 93
Race 8: (4) Putney Flyer 79
Race 9: (8) Skysign 58
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (1) Desert Destiny 7 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Down Under 28
Race 3: (8) Sidecar 51
Race 4: (1) Exelero 58
Race 5: (15) Go Dutch 54
Race 6: (6) Divano 64
Race 7: (9) Masterly 55
Race 8: (1) Jimmi Choo 53
Race 9: (4) Tripp Force 25
Greyville (sun)
Race 1: (3) Roy’s Gul Gul Ha 5
Race 2: (1) Corresolve 15
Race 3: (1) Dark Rose 11 (NAP*)
Race 4: (7) Dark Abbot 8
Race 5: (1) Eddie Sweat 60
Race 6: (5) Tipo Tinto 82
Race 7: (5) Zestful 79
Race 8: (1) African Dream 65
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Top rated winners last week included
Queens Music won 7/2
Gasoline won 33/10
Bev’s Baby won 5/2
Royal Zulu Warrior won 22/10
Siren’s Call won 2/1
Syringa won 18/10
Ovar won 7/10
Cedar Wood won 4/10
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Notebook:-
Chekilli (A Laird, Gauteng)
Willow Magic (S Tarry, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Greyville (poly) 8th February
Going Standard
1000m (2) Chosen Dash 59,37
1400m (3) Tuscan 83,19
1600m (1) Timeforatiger 100,18
1800m (2) Olma 122,72
Greyville (poly/turf) 10th February
Turf Good/Poly Standard
1200m (6) Royal Zulu Warrior 71,29P
1600m (1) Pure Valor 98,45T
2400m (1) Sugarbuzz 152,09T
Turffontein (old) 10th February
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1000m (3) Moofeed 56,10
1160m (1) Close Relative 67,79
1400m (3) Chekilli 82,68
1600m (1) Whatalady 96,99
Kenilworth (new) 11th February
Penetrometer 22 – Going Good
1000m (2) Ovar 59,75
1200m (2) Queens Music 73,84
1400m (2) Tomba La Bomba 86,57
1800m (1) Tygerhoogte 113,10*
2000m (2) Royal Dreamer 123,71
Vaal (sand/turf) 12th February
Turf good/sand rain affected
1000m (1) Coral Key 60,04S
1000m (2) Gems Aplenty 56,87T
1200m (1) Cedar Wood 70,98T
1400m (3) Be Mine Tonight 80,60T
1600m (2) Seattle Fairy 95,65T
