Getting Ready
Kenilworth 6th September: The going was still soft in Cape Town on Saturday where victory in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m went to the uneasy favourite RARE STONE. Allowed to ease out to 2/1 from 14/10 at the track, Justin Snaith’s charge made all. She kept on strongly over the final 400m and comfortably accounted for the all-out JET REVEZ by a length and a quarter.
There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping listed Sophomore Sprint won by DOOR OF DECEPTION. Freely available at 8/1 on the off the son of Count Dubois also led from pillar to post. The favourite ASSTAR threw down a determined challenge at the business end of the race, but try as he might he couldn’t get closer than a neck at the wire.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1000m and fastest against the clock here was the classy DE KOCK in the MR96 Handicap. Clearly prepping as he had been seen out over further in each of his six previous outings, the 4yo son of Dynasty was not surprisingly positioned towards the rear during the early part of the race. Once given rein though he quickly worked his way through the field and only having to be pushed out with hands and heels he won going away by two and a quarter.
READYTOGORIGHTNOW (15/10 into 19/20) was all the rage to win the allowance plate over 1400m and he too won well. On leaving the stalls it was the 6yo SUSSEX SONG who elected to make the running whilst the More Than Ready gelding sat close up in second. He took up the running going through the 200m and won with authority by a length and a quarter.
Titbits
At the helm from pillar to post, THE WHICH DOCTOR won the allowance plate over 1200m with some in hand by two and a quarter.
SAINT DONAN and BLOW ME AWAY both ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race when 3rd & 4th respectively in the maiden plate over 1200m.
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Heading For Cape Town
Scottsville 7th September: Just six runners went to post for the graduation plate over 1000m in Pietermaritzburg on Sunday and in what was priced up as a boat race we saw a very smart performance from the highly regarded GENERALISSIMO. Backed into 7/10 from even money at the track Dennis Drier’s charge made all. The second favourite VARBRATION (a fluent 6,75 length winner in his only previous start) chased hard over the final 400m and he did have the rest well beaten. Generalissimo only had to be pushed out in order to keep him at bay though and won with some in hand by a length. This was the fastest of the three 1000m races.
The faster of the two maiden plates over 1200m for 3yo’s was the second division won by THESEUS. Deposed at the top of the boards (18/10 out to 3/1) as money in the main came for the newcomer FESTIVE PRINCE (5/2 into 18/10), the son of Argonaut was always handy. He was asked to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and with the remainder well beaten he comfortably accounted for the running on BULLETING HOME by a length.
Three of the afternoon’s ten races were run over 1400m and the fastest of these was the pinnacle stakes won by TIPO TINTO. On leaving the stalls it was the nibbled at FLYING FELLOW who elected to make the running whilst the 6yo sat close up in fifth. He made his move going through the 300m and won well by a length and a quarter.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by THE QUEEN when winning the MR70 Handicap over 1000m. Never the quickest into stride, the daughter of Overlord raced in midfield for most of the journey. She didn’t find the clearest of challenges when mounting her challenge, but once seeing daylight she fairly flew and won going away by two and three quarters.
Titbits
KADEZE made all when comfortably accounting for her thirteen rivals in the girl’s maiden plate over 1000m.
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Here Comes The Sheriff
Fairview 8th September: They raced on the poly track on Monday where the fastest of the three 1000m events was the novice plate won by the friendless ASGARD. Freely available at 25/1 on the off (op 14’s), Mitch Wiese’s charge raced in midfield early on. He quickened best of all in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Karl Zechner he got up late to deny MY JELLY BEAN (handy – led 200m).
After winning well in similar company over the course and distance in his latest start it was not surprising to see PEREGRINE KING find good support in the MR64 Handicap over 1200m. Poorly drawn, the son of King Of Kings was positioned in the backend of midfield as the fifteen runners swung for home. He fairly flew in the straight and in eye catching style he got up late to beat the easy to back LEMON FIZZ. Fifth placed SEBASTIAN BOLT (beaten 2,1 lengths) also ran on well from the rear in this race.
Another to win well from off the pace on this card was GOGETTHESHERIFF in the afternoon’s feature event, a MR90 Handicap over 1600m. Well supported at the track (11/2 into 7/2 second favourite), the son of Go Deputy showed a nice turn of foot over the final 400m and won going away from the friendless BRIAR KING by a length and a half.
Titbits
QUICK DELIVERY ran on well from midfield when a three quarter length runner up in the MR68 Handicap over 1000m.
Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Autodrome 8
Race 2: (2) In Accordance 13
Race 3: (6) Atso Time 48
Race 4: (3) Son Of A P 21
Race 5: (1) Captain Siderius 55
Race 6: (5) Blazing Sunset 55
Race 7: (1) Tribal Code 31
Race 8: (8) San Vicenzo 45
Race 9: (10) Metaphysical 25
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (14) Wottahottie 15 (NAP*)
Race 2: (2) Sugar Prism 3
Race 3: (2) Bad Dream 6
Race 4: (9) Royal Duo 50
Race 5: (3) Rodeo Dandy 84
Race 6: (13) Stirling Leaves 49
Race 7: (10) Queen Eliza 63
Race 8: (16) Classy Looker 47
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Rising Sunset 9
Race 2: (3) Rouge Berry 16
Race 3: (1) Dynamic 55
Race 4: (10) Western Force 8
Race 5: (5) Lane Frost 39
Race 6: (9) Sidecar 50
Race 7: (6) Freezing Point 58
Race 8: (5) Wanda 36
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Wild Thing 20
Race 2: (7) Olympic Bolt 59
Race 3: (2) Son Of A P 12
Race 4: (7) Chedwin Park 30
Race 5: (8) Mystic Express 63
Race 6: (1) Pinot Noir 55
Race 7: (4) Eusebius 36
Race 8: (11) Seattle Fairy 44
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Top rated winners last week included
Door Of Deception won 8/1
De Kock won 4/1
Peregrine King won 4/1
Casciano won 7/2
Theseus won 3/1
Rare Stone won 2/1
The Which Doctor won 14/10
Readytogorightnow won 19/20
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Notebook:-
De Kock (B Crawford, W-Cape)
Generalissimo (D Drier, KZN)
Gogetthesheriff (J Strydom, E-Cape)
Readytogorightnow (J Snaith, W-Cape)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Kenilworth (old) 6th September
Penetrometer 29 – Going Soft
1000m (3) De Kock 61,51
1200m (4) Door Of Deception 75,72
1400m (1) Readytogorightnow 90,52
1600m (1) Grape Vine 105,28
2400m (1) Dandyman Can 161,09
Scottsville (new) 7th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (3) Generalissimo 56,85
1200m (2) Theseus 70,37
1400m (3) Tipo Tinto 84,15
1600m (1) Western Music 99,02
2400m (1) Belt Up 153,01
Fairview (poly) 8th September
Going Standard
1000m (3) Asgard 57,68
1200m (1) Peregrine King 70,53
1300m (2) Pacific Line 75,88
1600m (2) Gogetthesheriff 95,49
