R25.00 No. 1694
5
MONDAY 10th - THURSDAY 13th JANUARY 2011
ISSN 1023 / 6996
Hollywoodboulevard beat Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas runner up Igugu.
FLAMINGO PARK
12:25pm (Monday) p.3
VAAL SAND
12:35pm (Tuesday) p.11
GREYVILLE
NIGHT
4:30pm (Tuesday) p.18
KENILWORTH 1:00pm (Wednesday) p.30
VAAL TURF 12:10pm (Thursday) p.36
Progress Plate over 1400m at Vaal (turf) on Thursday The highest purses on offer in midweek are those set aside for the winners of a MR90 Handicap and two Progress Plates at the Vaal on Thursday. At the weights two runners stand out in the 1400m progress event and although there are some promising sorts amongst the remainder, they will more than likely have it between them, writes STEVE FURNISH.
A
fter being backed as if unbeatable (15/10 into 1/4) when cruising in by seven on debut, Hollywoodboulevard then found herself racing against the best. This daughter of Street Cry did then fail to get in a blow in both the Gr1 Allan Robertson and the Gr1 Golden Slipper, but on each occasion she was beaten by no more than five lengths. She was given a break after her effort in the Golden Slipper and since her return she has really taken off. Indeed, she ran on stoutly to win the prestigious Ready To Run Cup over today’s distance in her penultimate start and with the runner up Igugu having finished a runner up to the
very highly regarded Ebony Flyer in the Gr1 Cape Fillies Guineas, the form is clearly strong. Hollywoodboulevard was even more impressive when winning her latest start in the Gr3 Fillies Mile over 1600m at Turffontein. Charlie Laird’s charge flew up from off the pace in that event and cruised in by four. Hollywoodboulevard is clearly still improving and with all but one badly out at the weights, she has to rate the one beat.
Success Counts The only real danger to Hollywoodboulevard on paper is the aptly named Success Counts. Since shedding her maiden tag at just the second
attempt last January, Ormond Ferraris’ charge has progressed well. She’s come to hand nicely since returning from a five month layoff in October and she did run on nicely under apprentice Juglall when beating last season’s Gr1 Thekwini Stakes winner Happy Archer by a length and three quarters in the Gr3 Starling Stakes over today’s distance at Turffontein last time out. In terms of collateral form lines, Its not easy to draw comparisons using the recent efforts of Happy Archer as that one clearly ran well below best in the Fillies Mile. Success Counts does look held on a line through Carey’s Qui, but she does now have her third run after the rest and Anthony
Delpech jumps into the saddle. She too is still improving and just three points out at the weights on paper, must be a threat.
Geoff’s Coupling Representing the stable of former champion trainer Geoff Woodruff are both Olympic Affair and Russet Savannah. Having shown good improvement with each start, the Tamburlaine filly Olympic Affair has done nothing wrong. Indeed, after finishing down field in her first two starts over sprint distances, she won going away over 1400m in her only subsequent start and the 2nd, 3rd & 4th placed runners in that event have already won since. Olympic Affair does now take on much stronger, but she does clearly have bags of scope for improvement. Russet Savannah also shed her maiden tag over today’s distance in her third start, but whereas her stable companion won going away, the placed horses in that event were all closing in fast. She faded out to
finish last of fifteen in her first start out of the maidens last time out and although that 1800m trip might have proven to be too far at this stage of her career, Olympic Affair is preferred.
Giggs Apart from the obvious two, Giggs is best in at the weights here. Unlike those previously mentioned though, she is well exposed, and on form, does look held.
Elegant Model
Tanning
Given a rest after running two fair races in Natal last season, Elegant Model has been progressing very nicely since her return to the track in November. She was running on nicely when beaten fair and square by Olympic Affair on similar terms to those at which they meet here in her seasonal debut and strictly by the book, she does look held on that effort. Elegant Model did then clearly improve when winning comfortably over today’s distance in her latest outing though and she does now have her third run after the rest. Further improvement will surely be forthcoming from Elegant Model here and as with Olympic Affair, she is a bit of a dark horse.
David Rahilly’s charge gained her only win in a moderate field on sand and having failed to finish better than sixth in her two starts on turf, and worst in at the weights to boot, she cannot be fancied.
About The Pace With no out and out front runners amongst the small field of seven going to post, there is a chance that the race will develope into a 500m sprint. Most have been seen racing handy though, so hopefully at least a fair pace will be forthcoming. Hollywoodboulevard impressed last time out and the form of her previous effort over today’s distance is very powerful. She does meet some very promising up and coming sorts here, but with the weights in her favour, she should take some beating.