Five From Thirteen
Scottsville 27th January: A maiden plate over 1200m got proceedings underway in Pietermaritzburg on Tuesday and here victory went to the well-supported LOVE CONQUERS ALL. Backed into favouritism at the track (5/1 into 33/10), Mark Dixon’s charge raced with the pace throughout. She kept on strongly at the business end of the race and with the rest well beaten she comfortably accounted for the running on ROY’S GUARDIAN by three quarters. Although racing handy, the runner up (a newcomer) had been slow into stride and then hampered 400m out. This was the fastest of the three 1200m maiden plates.
There were four races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the bill topping non-black type Marula Sprint won by SHEIK’S BRASHEE. In what in real terms was a handicap, Mike Miller’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, but despite that was soon up handy. He ran on best of all over the final 400m and with the rest a minimum of 2,75 lengths adrift he did well to collar FLYFIRSTCLASS close home.
The faster of the two 1600m races on the card was the MR87 Handicap in which the Black Minnaloushe gelding CAT IN COMMAND registered his fifth career victory. Having only his thirteenth career start here, Cat In Command raced in midfield for most of the journey. He quickened well after switching out for a run early in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Stuart Randolph he got up late to deny the 3yo Anafesto.
There were also two races run over 1400m (both maiden plates for the girls) and quickest home here was the well exposed SALANDER in the second division. Freely available at 16/1 in this her 23rd racecourse appearance, the 4yo daughter of Stronghold sat in the rear during the early part of the race. Once in the straight though she ran on best of all and much to the dismay of the locals she got up late to thwart the heavily supported favourite SKY CASTLE (7/2 into 15/10).
Titbits
After being a little slow into stride TRIPTRONIC ran on well from the rear when runner up in the maiden plate over 1000m.
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Moving Forward
Turffontein 27th January: They raced on the old stand side track on Tuesday evening where the last two races had to be abandoned due to a severe electrical storm.
Three of the six races that were run took place over 1000m and fastest against the clock here was the speedy SEVENTH SYMPHONY when completing a double in the MR84 Handicap. A winner in the maiden ranks last time out, the daughter of Seventh Rock was taken straight to the front by Piere Strydom and was soon two lengths clear. She kept on strongly from halfway and although VA BENE was closing in late she still had a neck to spare at the wire.
The faster of the two 1400m events was the conditions plate won by WINTER STAR. Nibbled at on course into 7/1 from 10’s, Janse Van Vuuren’s charge sat sixth of the eight early on. The heavily supported favourite NOT SULKING meanwhile raced third and when that one struck the front 400m out you might have expected her to go clear. Winter Star steadily wore her down on the run to the line though and won going away by three quarters.
The remaining race, a MR72 Handicap, was run over 1600m and here victory went to the top weighted 3yo AMSTERDAM. An impressive winner in his only previous racecourse appearance the son of Windrush broke well and was soon up handy. He was ridden to lead as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to beat the running on 40/1 shot URGENT FURY.
Titbits
Gaining quickly at the finish DR FINLEY ran on very well from the rear when runner up in the maiden juvenile plate over 1000m.
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Up With The Speed
Fairview 28th January: Four of the nine races on the poly track on Wednesday were run 1300m and the fastest of these was the bill topping MR90 Handicap won by SIR DUKE. Now a winner of six from seventeen Tara Laing’s charge was soon positioned close to the speed. He was asked to take up the running going through the 300m and comfortably accounted for the easy to back BROTHER IN ARMS by a length and a quarter.
The faster of the two opening maiden events over 1200m was the boy’s affair won by the consistent AGE OF AQUARIUS. Always in the red, Gavin Smith’s 3yo took up the running coming off the bend. He quickly went clear and won without any anxious moments by two and three quarters.
In terms of distance the easiest victory on the card was recorded by SENSUOUS SALLY in the girls’ maiden 1200m. Yet another to lead early in the straight after racing prominent, the Grey’s Inn filly cruised clear over the final 300m to score by three and a half.
Titbits
LADY SEYMOUR ran on strongly from midfield when getting up late to win the MR56 Handicap over 1300m going away.
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Easy Day For Boss
Vaal 29th January: They raced on the inside track on Thursday where very unusually for the Vaal we had six winning favourites.
HEAVENLY EXPRESS set the ball rolling with a very comfortable two and a quarter length victory in the opening work rider’s maiden plate over 1200m. Clearly the form horse, the 15/20 favourite was soon nicely positioned in second. He assumed command going through the 400m and went on to win well.
There were three races run over 1200m in total and the fastest of these was the graduation plate won by NTOMBE. Best weighted of the five that went to post, the 5/10 favourite raced third. The second favourite SARVE made the running and going through the 300m the top weighted 3yo looked to have Geoff Woodruff’s charge under pressure. Under a typical ride from Piere Strydom though Ntombe found extra below the distance, and got up late to win going away.
The stable of Geoff Woodruff were also on the mark in the first division of the maiden plate over 2000m when the aptly named LIKE A BOSS came home smoking. Backed through all rates into 5/10 from even money, the son of Any Given Saturday was content to amble along in midfield for most of the journey. He cut through the field like a knife when given rein 800m out and struck the front 300m later. He cruised clear with ease from there onwards and with his rider looking around from the 200m marker he went on to score with a ton in hand by seven and three quarters.
Titbits
After leading by just a length for most of the journey, BERNADINE went on to win the MR74 Handicap over 1200m easing down by four.
The 18/10 favourite FRIKKIE only got going very late when a half-length runner up in the second division of the maiden 2000m.
S’IL VOUS PLAIT was gaining rapidly at the finish when only failing to land the pinnacle stakes over 2400m by the narrowest of margins.
The newcomer SEVENTH HEART fairly flew after having to switch out for a run 200m from home and impressed when winning the maiden plate over 1400m.
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Top speedratings for this weekend include:-
Fairview (fri)
Race 1: (6) City Express 7
Race 2: (4) Iberian Express 4
Race 3: (4) Munaaseb 18
Race 4: (11) Power Wind 51
Race 5: (1) Charles Lytton 57
Race 6: (1) Yoshie 60 (NAP**)
Race 7: (7) Mercurial Brave 86
Race 8: (16) Fragile Flower 56
Race 9: (1) Carmen Silver 8
Greyville (fri)
Race 1: (7) Seek The Summit 5 (NAP*)
Race 2: (4) Donna Amata 29
Race 3: (7) Summer Sixtynine 40
Race 4: (1) Fabrizio 4
Race 5: (2) Chill 45
Race 6: (5) Pimpernel 51
Race 7: (7) Jamal 69
Race 8: (5) Coco Love 12
Turffontein (sat)
Race 1: (13) Fiesta De Espana 23
Race 2: (5) Smart Call 68 (NAP*)
Race 3: (1) Down Under 28
Race 4: (1) Eau De Creole 17
Race 5: (3) Sacred Ground 46
Race 6: (8) Rake’s Chestnut 94
Race 7: (7) Pennington Sands 81
Race 8: (1) Unparalleled 79 (nb)
Race 9: (3) Bravo Maya 69
Race 10: (8) Rampant Ice 61
Kenilworth (sat)
Race 1: (7) Schachar 8
Race 2: (1) Sir Henry 14
Race 3: (1) Black Belvedere 16
Race 4: (6) Alzerra 31 (NAP*)
Race 5: (7) Happy Lion 49 (EW)
Race 6: (5) Society Rock 46
Race 7: (8) Colour Magic 62
Race 8: (12) La Calisto 36
Scottsville (sun)
Race 1: (8) Sun Loving 5
Race 2: (10) Seventh Circle 21
Race 3: (3) Kith And Kin 3
Race 4: (15) Ivanovich 25
Race 5: (8) Furaat Quality 66
Race 6: (6) Tuscan 84
Race 7: (5) Ahlaam 51
Race 8: (12) Diversify 37
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Top rated winners last week included
Salander won 16/1
Wooden Star won 4/1
Fragrant Beauty won 22/10
Tapaway won 1/1
Heavenly Express won 15/20
Like A Boss won 5/10
Ntombe won 5/10
Roy’s Goddess won 5/10
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Notebook:-
Seventh Heart (S Tarry, Gauteng)
Sheik’s Brashee (M Miller, KZN)
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FASTEST TIMES
The number of races run over each distance is shown in brackets
*Denotes – Times taken by Clockwatcher
Scottsville (inside) 27th January
Penetrometer 21 – Going Good
1000m (1) Tapaway 58,69
1200m (4) Sheik’s Brashee 69,33
1400m (2) Salander 85,45
1600m (2) Cat In Command 97,15
Turffontein (old) 27th January
Penetrometer 24 – Going G/Soft
1000m (3) Seventh Symphony 56,78
1400m (2) Winter Star 84,06
1600m (1) Amsterdam 99,70
Fairview (poly) 28th January
Going Standard
1000m (1) Spectacularus 57,74
1200m (2) Age Of Aquarius 70,65
1300m (4) Sir Duke 75,15
1900m (1) Wooden Star 116,16
2200m (1) Irish Hall 138,19
Vaal (inside) 29th January
Penetrometer 20 – Going Good
1200m (3) Ntombe 69,84
1400m (1) Seventh Heart 83,44
1700m (1) Eva Tibbs 103,16
1800m (2) Gold Bank 108,20
2000m (2) Like A Boss 122,39
2400m (1) Akii Bua 147,69
