87 For 6
Fairview 26th September: A maiden plate over 1000m was first up on the poly track on Friday and here a bit of an upset was to be had when the well tried RHUMBA BEAT opened her account. Nibbled at on course into 10/1 from 14’s, Mike McLachlan’s charge was always handy. She ran on strongly in the short home straight and got up late to deny the front running PRETTYAMAZINGGRACE.
Race five on the card was a MR80 Handicap over 1200m and here we saw a smart performance from the Alan Greeff trained SO YOU THINK. Freely available at 8/1 on the off, the son of Kahal raced in midfield early on. Once in the straight though he cut through the field like a knife, and won going away by two after striking the front 100m from home.
The faster of the two 1600m races on the card was the MR64 Handicap won by the 8yo LEMON FIZZ. Recording his sixth career victory here from 87 starts, Jacque Strydom’s charge raced sixth during the early part of the race. He ran on strongly when the field began to concertina 300m out and in what proved to be a real thriller he got up very late to score by a neck.
Another to cut it fine was KALAMAIN in the maiden 1600m. Backed into 4/1 joint second favourite from 5’s at the track, Alan Greeff’s 3yo quickly overcame his wide draw and raced fifth. He finished best of all and got up in the dying strides.
Titbits
Positioned in the rear turning for home, SPARKLING SAPHIR ran on strongly after being baulked for a run 400m out and did very well indeed to land the non-black type Walmer Handicap over 1800m in the very last stride.
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Strong Formline
Greyville 26th September: Favourite backers got off to a good start at the poly track on Friday evening when the well-supported RIFF RAF (15/10 into even money) did the business in the opening maiden plate over 1400m. The first of five winners on the card for former champion jockey Anton Marcus, the son of Royal Air Force was soon nicely positioned in second. He took up the running shortly after passing the 400m marker and comfortably accounted for his only serious rival in the betting market ESCOVITCH by three and a half.
Riff Raf had finished a runner up to CASCIANO in his only previous start and interestingly, that one won the last, a MR68 Handicap over 1600m. Having only his fourth career outing here, the son of Kahal made all. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and just had enough in hand to beat the nibbled at outsider MARINO CASINO (25/1 into 16’s) by a neck. The runner up ran on stoutly after not finding the clearest of passages.
The faster of the evening’s two 1000m races was the MR72 Handicap won by BURRWOOD. Sent off a strong favourite at 8/10 (op 12/10), Colin Scott’s charge as per usual ran on stoutly from off them. He struck the front 200m out and went on to score very cosily by a length and a half from the ultra-consistent 9yo KINGS GOLD.
There were also two races run over 1200m and fastest against the clock here was GEMINI GOLD in the MR70 Handicap. Allowed to ease right out to 33/10 from 2/1 as the Tony Rivalland trained AL CIBERANO (33/10 into 16/10) found strong support, the son of Overlord was always handy. He put his head in front shortly after the money horse had taken up the running 250m out and won going away by a length and three quarters.
Titbits
Running on from the backend of midfield JOLO didn’t find the clearest of passages before finishing third in the fillies maiden plate over 1000m.
A little slow into stride, lightly raced ROCKABERRY LANE ran on well in the closing stages when third to the hotpot favourite German Lady in the MR81 Handicap over 1200m.
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Fun Day, Fun Exacta
Vaal 27th September: It was Emerald Cup day at the Vaal’s sand track on Saturday and causing a major upset in the big one was TOMMY GUN. Freely available at 16/1 on the off, Corne Spies’ charge was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead going through the 600m and after fending off challenges from both the well-supported favourite JAMBOREE and UNCLE TOMMY, he went on to score very comfortably by three.
The fastest of the four 1000m races on the card was the listed Hampton Handicap won by the Louis Goosen trained TRIP TEASE. Now a winner of seven from eleven, the son of Trippi made all. BLAZING AL, who had beaten him on 2,5kg more favourable terms last time out chased hard over the final 400m, but try as he might he couldn’t get closer than a length at the wire.
Race four on the card was the non-black type Sophomore Fillies 1000 and here we saw a very easy victory for the best weighted runner in the field FLAME CAT. Confidently ridden by Piere Strydom, Michael Azzie’s charge sat fourth during the early part of the race. She was asked to take up the running as they approached the 200m marker and only having to be pushed out in the closing stages of the race, won with plenty in hand by four and a half.
Titbits
The 3yo RAISE THE RED won the MR90 Handicap over 1450m going away by four and three quarters.
PRECURSOR led throughout when comfortably winning the non-black type Sophomore 1000.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Flamingo Park (mon)
Race 1: (1) Beez Brother 18 (NAP*)
Race 2: (1) Societi 41
Race 3: (1) Varsity Star 46
Race 4: (11) Royal Quest 4
Race 5: (7) Afterburner 41
Race 6: (8) Noah Forever 22
Race 7: (2) Space Girl 31
Race 8: (6) Giro Jet 14
Race 9: (9) Just Harry 35
Vaal (tues)
Race 1: (1) Crown Bearer 13
Race 2: (4) Endearing 15
Race 3: (14) Trip To Rio 21
Race 4: (2) Captain Coyote 17 (NAP*)
Race 5: (3) Penitent Pirate 13
Race 6: (5) Sacred Ground 46
Race 7: (4) Silent Rush 55
Race 8: (5) Desert Raptor 68
Race 9: (17) Antonia Major 59
Durbanville (wed)
Race 1: (10) War Declaration 24
Race 2: (1) Shingle Beach 22
Race 3: (1) Captain Romanov 16
Race 4: (8) Count My Luck 46
Race 5: (6) Varistar 56
Race 6: (9) Society Rock 56
Race 7: (6) Tigeress Dance 33
Race 8: (8) Lifes Design 71
Vaal (thur)
Race 1: (1) Crystal’s Revenge 16
Race 2: (3) Rushing Josh 13
Race 3: (1) Latinus 15
Race 4: (5) Nad’s Pride 48
Race 5: (4) Mogok’s Desire 45 (NAP*)
Race 6: (9) Rocky Stallone 72
Race 7: (8) Impeccable 40
Race 8: (7) Ice Goddess 31
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Top rated winners last week included
Lemon Fizz won 10/1
Raise The Red won 7/1
Gemini Gold won 33/10
Precursor won 15/10
German Lady won 1/1
Burrwood won 8/10
Flame Cat won 13/20
You Bolt won 6/10
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Notebook:-
So You Think (A Greeff, E-Cape)
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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) 26th September
Going Standard
1000m (1) Rhumba Beat 59,04
1200m (1) So You Think 69,72
1300m (1) Pippi 76,46
1600m (2) Lemon Fizz 97,34
1800m (1) Sparkling Saphir 111,33
2000m (1) Lago Cuomo 125,38
2200m (1) Badger’s Trail 139,39
Greyville (poly) 26th September
Going Standard
1000m (2) Burrwood 59,01
1200m (2) Gemini Gold 70,84
1400m (2) Riff Raf 84,23
1600m (2) Casciano 95,91
Vaal (sand) 27th September
Going Standard
1000m (4) Trip Tease 58,13*
1200m (2) Rockingandrolling 72,05
1450m (3) Tommy Gun 89,94
1800m (1) Guy From Dubai 113,24
