Double Figures
Fairview 19th September: A maiden plate over 1300m was first up in Port Elizabeth on Friday and here it was nice to see the luckless MULAAZEM open his account. Drawn wide in five of his seven starts, Heckie Strydom’s charge broke much better than usual here and was soon in touch with the leaders. He took up the running going through the 200m and comfortably accounted for his stablemate SUN FLASH by two and a quarter.
There were three races run over 1300m in total and the fastest of these was the MR70 Handicap won by PEMBA. Completing a hat-trick in handicap company here the son of Tiger Ridge raced in midfield early on. He quickened well in the short home straight and won by three quarters from the easy to back FLYING GALILEO.
A MR98 Handicap over 1000m topped the bill and here the stable of Heckie Strydom were again on the mark when the 6yo RUSSIAN MIG took his tally of wins into double figures. On leaving the stalls it was one of the outsiders of the seven horse party GUIDED ARROW who elected to make the running whilst the top weighted son of Qui Danzig sat fourth. He struck the front 50m from home and in what proved to be a real thriller he just held on from the running on BOIS DE VAR by a short head.
Titbits
IKATI won the conditions plate over 1200m with authority by two and a half.
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Smart Treble
Turffontein 20th September: They raced on the inner track on Saturday where we saw a very comfortable victory for the deposed joint favourite UNPARALLELED in the opening maiden 1450m. Allowed to drift alarmingly at the track out to 4/1 from 18/10, the 3yo son of Lateral was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 400m marker and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to beat the supported CAPTAIN COYOTE (7/1 into 4/1) by two and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1450m in total and the fastest of these was the MR78 Apprentice Handicap won by Ryan Munger aboard MORPHEUS. The top weighted son of Silvano broke well when the gates opened and led throughout. He was three lengths clear coming off the strip and that proved to be just enough to beat the fancied SILVER SCOOTER (reported coughing) by a neck.
Amazingly six of the ten races on the card were run over 1800m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR85 Handicap won by JET AVENGER. Sent off second in the betting market at 5/1 Mike De Kock’s charge was always prominent. He moved through to take up the running as they approached the 100m pole and won well from the pacemaker NORGAY by a length and a half.
The easiest victory on the card was recorded by Jet Avenger’s stable companion WILL I DO in the maiden 1800m. A good second at the Vaal earlier in the week this 3yo daughter of Tiger Ridge raced fifth for most of the journey. She put her head in front early in the short home straight and although another alarming drifter MISS RAMBO (33/10 out to 6/1) ran on stoutly from the rear in the closing stages of the race, she won only having to be pushed out by four and a half.
Titbits
In a race where the third horse was positioned some fourteen lengths off the pace going through the 700m the Mike De Kock trained WORLD DOMINATION (now a winner of two from three) ran on well from midfield when getting up late to win the MR72 Apprentice Handicap over 1800m.
ELUSIVE FLYER and BAKSTEEN both ran on very well from the rear when 3rd & 5th respectively in the maiden 1450m.
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Tactical Settlers
Durbanville 20th September: Followers of the money got off to a nice start at the country course on Saturday when the well-supported JUDD’S JOY (3/1 into 12/10) did the business in the opening maiden event for 3yo’s over 1300m. Not the quickest into stride at this sharp track, Brett Crawford’s charge raced seventh of the ten during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though, he quickened well and comfortably accounted for the deposed favourite BUFFALO TRIP (5/2 out to 33/10) by a length and three quarters.
There were three races run over 1300m in total and in a time over one and a half seconds faster than that of Judd’s Joy the rapidly improving REIM (6/1 into 3/1 2ndfav) landed the graduation plate. An impressive winner by five in a MR80 Handicap last time out, Glen Puller’s charge was soon in command of a very healthy advantage. He was five lengths clear coming off the bend and although the deposed second favourite TOP JET ran on strongly in the closing stages of the race, he won without any anxious moments by four.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the graduation plate won by the 3yo JET SET GO. A daughter of Jet Master, Jet Set Go was positioned at the back of the five at the top of the straight. Once given rein though, she quickened well and with some in hand won very cosily by a length and three quarters.
The listed Settlers Trophy over 2400m topped the bill and here the finish was fought out by the two Vaughan Marshall runners GOTHIC and DESERT SWIRL. Usually one to run on stoutly from off the pace Gothic sat second whilst as per usual the son of Second Empire was content to sit in the rear. Gothic hit the front 1500m out and clearly aware of the danger Desert Swirl then moved up into second position before reaching the 900m pole. Both ran on stoutly at the business end of the race and in a thrilling three way finish, which included the running on PUTNEY FLYER, Desert Swirl got the verdict fair and square by a half.
Titbits
Running on stoutly from the rear EVENING STORM didn’t find the clearest of passages close home when only beaten 0,8 lengths in the MR72 Handicap over 1600m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (5) Imagine 17
Race 2: (1) Black Pepper 31 (NAP*)
Race 3: (2) San Vicenzo 33
Race 4: (3) Vodka Rocks 2
Race 5: (8) Furaat Quality 27
Race 6: (10) Counterblast 31
Race 7: (2) Quick Blast 53
Race 8: (10) Wild And Windy 40
Race 9: (8) Shreya’s Angel 7
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (8) Noble Virtue 19
Race 2: (1) Mythical Palace 62
Race 3: (11) Sputnik Sweetheart 12
Race 4: (11) Charanga 14
Race 5: (1) Wild Dancer 13
Race 6: (9) Shamal 57 (EW)
Race 7: (4) Castle Keep 46
Race 8: (15) Romeo’s Phantom 42
Race 9: (6) Enaad 28
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (1) Imperial Rose 21
Race 2: (1) Full Court 13
Race 3: (10) Lane Frost 57
Race 4: (5) South Kensington 80
Race 5: (2) House Of Lorraine 40
Race 6: (7) Tuvano 47
Race 7: (3) Caseys Raine 13
Race 8: (10) Tibet 61
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Crown Bearer 19
Race 2: (6) Razzle My Tazzle 14
Race 3: (1) Woodstock Express 17
Race 4: (7) Jetscreen 47
Race 5: (10) Merlins Gem 45
Race 6: (5) Breathless 41
Race 7: (2) Arctic Hooligan 43
Race 8: (1) Delighted 23
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Top rated winners last week included
Dynamic won 6/1
Russian Mig won 6/1
Unparalleled won 4/1
Mystic Express won 15/4
Will I Do won 33/10
Bengal Boy won 28/10
Judd’s Joy won 12/10
Parachute Man won 11/20
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Notebook:-
Jet Avenger (M De Kock, Gauteng)
Jet Set Go (V Marshall, W-Cape)
Will I Do (M De Kock, Gauteng)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Fairview (poly) 19th September
Going Standard
1000m (1) Russian Mig 58,11
1200m (3) Ikati 70,49
1300m (3) Pemba 75,28
1600m (1) Galaxy Gold 97,25
Turffontein (inside) 20th September
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1450m (3) Morpheus 89,84
1800m (6) Jet Avenger 112,95
2600m (1) Afterburner 172,08
Durbanville 20th September
Penetrometer 28 – Going Soft
1300m (3) Reim 78,96
1400m (2) Jet Set Go 87,23
1600m (2) Arachne 100,12
2400m (1) Desert Swirl 158,93
