TUESDAY 29th - THURSDAY 31st
No. 2212 ISSN 1023 / 6996
DECEMBER 2015
KENILWORTH 1:40pm (Tuesday) p.3
Moofeed could end 2015 on a high for Mike de Kock and Weichong Marwing
TURFFONTEIN NIGHT 6:05pm (Tuesday) p.9
GREYVILLE MIXED 12:45pm (Wednesday) p.16 TURFFONTEIN INNER 12:15pm (Thursday) p.28
MR 102 HANDICAP at Turffontein on Tuesday
S
The sun is about to set on a crazy year of dizzy highs and shaky lows, and with 2016 billed as the year of the monkey, we should probably be approaching the turn of the page with some caution.
o let’s see out the old year with a bang and side with the big gun combination of Mike De Kock and Weichong Marwing at Turffontein on Tuesday evening. This game tames lions and tigers - and makes monkeys out of most of us but the topweighted Duke Of Marmalade entire Moofeed
stands out in the R120 000 MR 102 Handicap at the final Turffontein meeting of 2015.
Rare Find
Moofeed is a rare speed horse by his outstanding sire and this half-brother to top performers Musir and Merhee ran on really well last time to chase One Man’s Dream home over the Turffontein 1000m.
A bit of a bridesmaid at times – he has won 5 races from 19 starts, but has 7 seconds to his credit – Moofeed has a touch of class at his best, and trainer Mike De Kock looks to have found the right race for him. His biggest danger looks likely to be the Alec Laird trained course and distance winner, Aurum Pot, a lightly raced son of Judpot, who has run two cracking feature places at
his last two jumps. He was under two lengths back in the Gr2 Merchants behind Brutal Force and the same margin adrift of Doing It For Dan in the Listed Golden Loom. In-form Gavin Lerena rides this very fit gelding, who must go into all calculations. Sean Tarry’s 7yo Prince Jazeem has not won a race in over two years but showed some decent pace in an MR 92 Handicap over the Vaal 1400m last time after a late winter stint in Cape Town. The son of Toreador has probably lost some of his
early edge which saw him rattle off three wins in a row in 2013, and cannot be tipped as a likely winner.
Servant
Cont. p.2
Romeo Francis’ dogged hardworking 6yo Flag Of France has his 70th career outing on Tuesday. He ran on smartly behind Splendid Garden last time and enjoys a 3kg swing with the Azzie speedster.
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SPORTING POST • TUESDAY 29th - THURSDAY 31st DECEMBER 2015 Top Rated Last week ’sS winners incl. G N TI SPEED RA
A review of the week's best SPEEDRATINGS
with Steve Furnish
Topsy Turvy Times
Five In A Row
Fairview 18th December Followers of the money got off to a nice rear). The maiden plate was also surprisingly start in Port Elizabeth on Friday when the faster of the two 1600m events. Run in CUVEO did the business in the opening a time almost a quarter of a second faster maiden juvenile plate over 800m. Backed than that of the listed Memorial Mile won into favouritism at the track (4/1 into by the talented Cape Town raider NIGHT 28/10), the only filly in the race was soon TRIP, the winner ROMAN SILVANUS prominent. She put her head in front at the (Night Trip’s stable companion) raced fifth 200m marker and kept on strongly late to for most of the journey. He was always travelling well and beat ZEVENASTIC by a neck. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were with the rest well beaten, he comfortably run over 1000m and surprisingly the accounted for CAPTAIN QUICK by a fastest of these was the colt’s maiden plate length and a half. won by FLICKER. Allowed to ease out TITBITS to even money from 15/20 at the track as Having her first outing since relocating to money came for SPORTSTRADER, the the Eastern Cape, BELLA SPUMANTE ran Fort Wood gelding was soon positioned on well from the backend of midfield when close to the speed. winning the novice 1400m by five and a He took up the running 100m out and quarter with a ton in hand. won by three quarters from the running on ORCADIAN FOREST (came from the
Greyville 18th December Five of the eight races on Friday evening were run over TITBITS The 3yo RIO DE LA PLATA ran on 1400m and comfortably the fastest of these was the bill strongly late when getting up in the dytopping MR94 Handicap won by the 9/20 favourite EXIT ing strides to win the MR74 Handicap HERE. Soon at the head of affairs of what was a very tightly over 2000m. bunched field early on, the five-timer seeking son of Jay Peg The 2/13 favourite WINTER’S HEIR only made all. He found extra when the grey KISS ME HARDY had to be pushed out when winning through down the gauntlet 200m out and won well by a the maiden plate over 2000m very length. Marginally the faster of the two maiden plates over easily by nine and three quarters. 1400m was the girl’s affair won by the newcomer SPIRITOS. Nibbled at on course into 6/1 from 14’s, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge raced in midfield. She made her move early in the straight and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy TOP SPEED RATINGS she got up late to deny the all-out OVERLY IMPRESSED. for this MID-WEEK The remaining three races were all run over 2000m and (Ratings shown have already been quickest home amongst these was LITTLE CHAPEL in the adjusted to allocated weights) graduation plate. In the rear as the nine runners turned for home, Dean Kannemeyer’s charge ran on best of all in the FAIRVIEW (MON) Race 1: No Qualifiers straight and with the rest some four lengths adrift she got the Race 2: (1) Crown Of Gold 73 (nb) better of JET INTOMBI by a half.
Ready For Action
Notebook
Horses worth following at their next few starts... BELLA SPUMANTE (A Greeff, E-Cape) ENBHARR (M De Kock, Gauteng) EXIT HERE (C Laird, KZN)
FASTEST TIMES (The number of races run in each category shown in brackets) (*Denotes - Times taken by Clockwatcher) (P = Polytrack)
FAIRVIEW (TURF) 18TH DECEMBER Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 800m (1) Cuveo 44,81 1000m (3) Flicker 56,91 1200m (1) Slewsgate 70,52 1400m (1) Bella Spumante 85,02 1600m (2) Roman Silvanus 98,21 2000m (1) Sensuous Sally 129,46 GREYVILLE (POLY) 18TH DECEMBER Going Standard 1400m (5) Exit Here 82,62 2000m (3) Little Chapel 122,26 TURFFONTEIN (INNER) 19TH DECEMBER Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (1) Matron Prilli 58,43 1200m (2) Last Battle 73,44 1450m (2) Trophy Wife 87,92 1600m (1) Lunar Approach 97,91 2000m (2) Save The Rhino 124,15 2200m (1) Zafira 141,82 KENILWORTH (NEW) 19TH DECEMBER Penetrometer 23 – Going Good 800m (1) The Merry Widow 49,06 1000m (2) Dixie Express 58,91 1200m (2) Top Of The Rock 73,27 1400m (1) Same Jurisdiction 86,21* 1600m (3) Heartland 98,05* 2500m (1) Current Event 157,62*
ON 7/1 NTE........ W A M U P S A ON 7/2 BELL MBER ... W U N K C A L B E ON 3/1 LITTL ............... W .. .. .. L E E H ON 2/1 TAR ............... W .. Y IL L A L A ON 9/10 IMP LI ........... W IL R P N O R ON 6/10 MAT NUS ........ W A V IL S N A ON 3/10 ROM ............... W .. .. .. A S O B ON 2/13 BAR IR ............ W E H ’S R E T WIN
Turffontein 19th December They raced on the inner track on Saturday accounted for the consistent LAVA FLOW by a where the faster of the two 1450m events was the length and a half. In terms of distance the easiest pinnacle stakes won by the best weighted runner victory on the card was registered by ZAFIRA in the field TROPHY WIFE. Having her third when getting off the mark in the maiden plate over run after a break here, Sean Tarry’s charge was 2200m. Positioned in the backend of midfield in content to sit seventh of the nine for most of the a race in which heavy rain fell throughout, Weiho journey. She began to take closer order as they Marwing’s charge was ridden to lead shortly after came off the strip and only had to be pushed out passing the 400m marker and won with authority after taking up the running 200m from home to by three and a quarter. beat the running on VINO VERITAS. TITBITS The faster of the two 2000m races was the LUNAR APPROACH won the MR80 Handicap with MR84 Handicap in which the top weight SAVE some in hand. THE RHINO registered his third career victory. IN THE MOMENT (midfield) and ENBHARR (rear) Not the quickest into stride, the son of Mogok were both running on strongly at the finish when raced in midfield early on. He put his head in 2nd & 5th respectively in the maiden plate over 1200m. front going through the 300m and comfortably
Noah Repels All Kenilworth 19th December The Gr1 Cape Guineas over 1600m topped the going away after striking the front 90m or so from bill in Cape Town on Saturday and in a time a home. In terms of distance the easiest victory on second slower than that of the Listed Jet Master the ten race program was recorded by TAR HEEL Stakes victory here went to the Gauteng raider when winning the non-black type Need For Speed Sprint over 1000m. NOAH FROM GOA. Taken straight to the front by Anton Marcus, Now a winner of five of his six career starts, Mike De Kock’s charge was always handy. He was the son of Var led by just a half for most of the asked to take up the running shortly after passing journey. He began to assert his authority going the 300m pole and finding extra all the way to the through the 300m and won going away by three wire he beat the running on BRAZUKA by three and three quarters. quarters. TITBITS The supporting act was the 2500m Gr3 DIXIE EXPRESS extended her winning sequence Cape Summers Stayers Handicap in which the to four when comfortably accounting for her rivals friendless CURRENT EVENT caused an upset. by three and a half lengths in the MR76 Handicap Sent off as the rank outsider of the eight horse over 1000m. party at 20/1 (op 7’s), Justin Snaith’s charge Thrown in at the weights in the conditions plate over 1400m, SAME JURISDICTION won accordwas always in touch with the leaders. He ran on ingly. strongly at the business end of the race and won
Race 3: (11) King’s Fire 16 Race 4: (1) Al Don Cumarco 83 (NAP*) Race 5: (6) Arniston 70 Race 6: (10) Jay Belle 41 Race 7: (1) Eros’s Girl 60 Race 8: (5) Thrill Factor 41 KENILWORTH (TUES) Race 1: (5) Ferrie 18 (NAP*) Race 2: (3) Tide Is Turning 21 Race 3: (2) Avail 18 Race 4: (4) David’s Dynasty 35 Race 5: (3) True Master 74 Race 6: (5) Secret Seven 54 Race 7: (2) Megamind 34 Race 8: (7) Three Blue Cranes 46 TURFFONTEIN (WED) Race 1: (1) Might As Well 5 Race 2: (2) Seventh Symphony 69 Race 3: (1) Snowdonia 4 Race 4: (1) Gladiatore 24 Race 5: (6) Wild Ash 74 Race 6: (1) Moofeed 92 (NAP*) Race 7: (3) Master’s Spirit 65 Race 8: (2) For The Lads 50 (EW) GREYVILLE (WED) Race 1: (2) Triptronic 48 (EW) Race 2: (10) Ostentation 47 Race 3: (11) Royal Lance 41 Race 4: (6) Soldier’s Code 24 Race 5: (8) Executive Power 85 Race 6: (7) Rainier 52 Race 7: (5) Glimmer Of Silver 7 Race 8: (1) Masked Girl 11 Race 9: (16) Protea Power 20 TURFFONTEIN (THUR) Race 1: (4) Danza 26 Race 2: (6) Tangerine Lady 16 Race 3: (5) Topography 23 (NAP*) Race 4: (11) Royal Master 48 Race 5: (9) Cumberland 73 Race 6: (9) Lisnoble 41 Race 7: (9) Intergalactic 54 Race 8: (4) Lavish Gal 37 NAP BETS * Fancied ** Strongly fancied *** Very strongly fancied
Champagn� Day� MR 102 HANDICAP at Turffontein on Tuesday
The 6yo National Key is a consistent gelding but may lack the pace to win a race of this nature. His last two runs in KZN have been decent efforts – his last 3,85 lengths behind high-class Group winner Ice Machine in receipt of 4,5kgs. He shed his maiden over the course
and distance over three years ago and his subsequent four wins have all been over more ground. That said, he is never far off the action and is very capable of sneaking a quartet berth.
Gardener
Splendid Garden is starting to fulfil some of his early
cont. from front
promise and is bang in form at this stage of the season, having won 3 of his last 4 starts. He is 3kgs worse off with Flag Of France for a 2,50 length course and distance beating last time. As a still improving 4yo Splendid
Garden could have the scope to make up the leeway and go in again. The second of the Azzie runners, Rock Me Var, is battling to put a decent effort together on the turf and appears to have enjoyed his Greyville polytrack exposure
of earlier this year. He was highly thought of, but will need to start showing the signs again before he can be included with any confidence.
Top Choice
Moofeed and Aurum Pot look set to fight out the finish
and as long as he doesn’t get too far out of his ground, the De Kock galloper holds a slight edge. The improving Splendid Garden looks best of the rest. Here’s to a happy, healthy and winning 2016 to you all.
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SPORTING POST • tUESDAY 29th - THURSDAY 31st DECember 2015