1-4 Feb #2222 Sporting Post

MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FERUARY 2016

No. 2222 ISSN 1023 / 6996

FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.3

VAAL

1:10pm (Tuesday) p.11

DURBANVILLE

12:40pm (Wednesday) p.21

VAAL

12:15pm (Thursday) p.27

The Fort Wood filly Gain Ground can improve in an open race

Racing. It’s A Rush FM 76 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F&M) at Vaal on Thursday A spate of exotic carryovers has not made things easy for punters recently. With a dip from the Met and Million Dollar razzmatazz to the daily grind of next week’s bread-and-butter fare, the chances of more dicey results looks very likely.

At the Vaal on Thursday four maiden plates and five low-grade handicaps make up a programme that will only appeal to the most staunch fan.

A

s with most things in life, the racing programme is supposedly about a balance, and given our feast of highclass fare over the past six weeks, it is time to slow the bus down as it were, and catch the breath. This is a diet week of note, with Flamingo Park on Monday, followed by a

workriders meeting at the Vaal on Tuesday. The topliner at the Vaal on Tuesday is a R92 000 MR 76 Fillies & Mares Handicap run over a mile and the fourteen runner field represents an exotic bet speed trap of note.

Power Yard

Mike de Kock’s yard is always a reliable starting point and they saddle the Wicklow

Stud-bred 3yo Fort Wood filly, Gain Ground.

A lightly tried galloper, she won her maiden over the Scottsville mile at her third start, and has never run a bad race in her five subsequent starts.

Her only run over Thursday’s course and distance produced a 2,60 length fifth in a field of six behind the well-performed Pennington Sands.

She has had two run since a rest and last time out ran on over 1800m when beaten length by Cape Marigold.

The latter, a year older

three-time winner, meets Gain Ground on the same weight terms and there should be little between them.

Serious Challenge

Sean Tarry trains the Dynasty three-time winner Escudo, who has been threatening to win again after a few decent recent efforts.

Her last two runs over the course and distance were decent efforts and she would not be winning out of turn.

The lightly raced Bajan Fantasy won over the course and distance at her last start

and steps up a notch in class, bidding for her third win in eight starts.

The combination of Andrew Fortune and Gary Alexander have been in hot form and she must be included.

Cont. p.2

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2

SPORTING POST • MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2016

Only The Best

A review of the week's best SPEEDRATINGS

with Steve Furnish

Stone Me

Horses worth following at their next few starts...

At the helm from pillar to post SUMMER CRUISE won the MR69 Handicap over 1200m with plenty in hand.

IT’S MY TURN (J Snaith, W-Cape) NYANGAN (D Kannemeyer, KZN) SUMMER CRUISE (A Greeff, E-Cape) WHISKY BARON (B Crawford, W-Cape)

Turffontein 23rd January

(The number of races run in each category shown in brackets) (*Denotes - Times taken by Clockwatcher) (P = Polytrack)

FAIRVIEW (TURF) 22ND JANUARY Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (2) Skrik Vir Niks 1200m (6) Cup Cake 1600m (1) Stone Town

Greyville 22nd January They raced on both surfaces on Friday evening with two of the three races on the poly being MR66 Handicaps over 1800m. The fastest of these was the second division won by SELVAN’S JET. Supported into 4/1 from 8’s, Alyson Wright’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, and as a result he raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all in the short home straight and won going away after striking the front close home.

All five races on the turf were staged over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was MARK MY CARD in the bill topping MR90 Handicap. Always available at around 20/1, the 4yo daughter of Miesque’s Approval was also a little slow into stride. He ran on strongly from midfield and striking the front 100m from home, won well by a length and a quarter.

The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m on turf was the boy’s affair won by FORCEFUL RUSH. Sent off a joint favourite at 33/10, Garth Puller’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and won comfortably by three quarters from the running on PURPLE SPLASH.

Dominant Throughout

FASTEST TIMES

56,11 67,74 98,41

GREYVILLE (MIXED) 22ND JANUARY Turf Good/Poly Standard 1400m (5) Mark My Card 83,55T 1600m (1) Spirit Of Dover 96,46P 1800m (2) Selvan’s Jet 110,25P TURFFONTEIN (OLD) 23RD JANUARY Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) Jiffy 58,77 1160m (2) Barbel Run 68,28 1400m (1) Zambezi River 86,80 1800m (4) Stonehenge 112,35 2000m (1) Shankly Gates 127,38 KENILWORTH (NEW) 23RD JANUARY Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 1000m (2) Cloth Of Cloud 59,82 1200m (2) Pearl Oyster Bay 72,64 1400m (3) Illuminator 86,21 1600m (1) Inara 99,68 2000m (1) It’s My Turn 124,03

ON 20/1 D ........... W R A C Y M K ON 9/1 MAR ............... W .. ..

N IN ’S ON 5/1 MAN ISE......... W U R C R E M ON 4/1 SUM ............... W N IA H C L A ROY WON 5/2 ................ ..

A T O S E N ON 22/10 MIN ............... W .. .. ..

R E G IN SAL WON 9/10 ON............

R A B Y K IS ON 8/10 WH ............... W .. ..

E IL M O CAM

Evergreen

Fairview 22nd January Six of the nine races at Friday’s turf victory. Prominent throughout, the son meeting were run over 1200m and of Kahal struck the front 50m from the fastest of these was the MR87 home and won well by a length. The Handicap won by CUP CAKE. Well one remaining race was a novice plate supported on course to go off a joint over 1600m and here a major upset was favourite at 3/1, the daughter of Var to be had when STONE TOWN landed raced in midfield early on. She put her the spoils. Sent off as the rank outsider head in front as they approached the of the eleven horse party at 80/1, Jacque 100m marker and kept on strongly Strydom’s charge raced in the backend below the distance to beat the running of midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all after having to switch on MYSTIC EXPRESS by a half.

The faster of the two 1000m races was out for a run, and won comfortably by a the MR64 Handicap in which SKRIK length and a half after striking the front VIR NIKS registered his second career 80m or so from home.

TITBITS

Notebook

Top Rated Last week ’sS winners incl.

G N TI SPEED RA

They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the fastest of the four 1800m races was the MR91 Handicap won by STONEHENGE. A winner of Port Elizabeth’s Gr3 Algoa Cup three runs back, Sean Tarry’s charge made all. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four.

The faster of the two 1160m races was the MR72 Handicap in which the Joshua Dancer gelding BARBEL RUN registered his fourth career victory.

Positioned in midfield in what was always a very tightly bunched group, Alec Laird’s charge

ran on best of all and got up nicely late to deny the easy to back FORT EAGLE. A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller the 33/10 second favourite ZAMBEZI RIVER got the verdict. Still in the rear some six lengths off the front running runner up DIESEL JET 400m out, Sean Tarry’s charge flew late and with the rest comfortably beaten he got up in the dying strides.

TITBITS Lightly raced SHIMMERING BROOK won the MR72 Handicap over 1800m going away by three and three quarters.

Lighting Up The Wallet Kenilworth 23rd January In terms of prizemoney, the CTS Million Dollar out when the race began in earnest, and found topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here himself racing along the outside rail. He ran on a bit of an upset was to be had when ILLUMINATOR stoutly at the business end of the race though and landed the spoils. Freely available at 16/1 in what won very comfortably by two.

The heavily supported SAME JURISDICTION proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1400m events, the apprentice ridden son of Trippi (11/10 into 11/20) was sent off a strong favourite raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran to win the Majorca and on striking the front 220m on stoutly in the straight and got up late to deny from home, she looked to have done everything the uneasy favourite SILVER MOUNTAIN. Topping right. The second favourite INARA also quickened the bill otherwise was the Gr1 Cape Derby over very nicely at that point though, and she went 2000m and the Gr1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m. on to win well by three quarters after putting her There was also an upset in the Derby when the head in front 100m out. similarly priced IT’S MY TURN registered his TITBITS second career victory. Nicely positioned in midfield Lightly raced WHISKY BARON won the maiden turning for home, the Dynasty gelding was carried plate over 1200m going away with plenty in hand.

TITBITS

The 3yo NYANGAN only had to be pushed out when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1400m (turf) going away by three.

TOP SPEED RATINGS for this MID-WEEK (Ratings shown have already been adjusted to allocated weights)

FLAMINGO PARK (MON) Race 1: (2) Maya The Bee 8 Race 2: (1) Lebeoana 25 Race 3: (4) War Declaration 12 Race 4: (1) Raving Jewel 12 Race 5: (14) Celine 28 Race 6: (1) Sub Shaawes 45 Race 7: (9) Emerald Mackay 33 Race 8: (6) Fiery Goddess 39 Race 9: (3) Here We Are 36 VAAL (TUES) Race 1: (1) Watch Me Run 4 Race 2: (4) Secunde’s Victor 13 Race 3: (7) Grand Classic 4 (NAP*) Race 4: (2) Global Ethos 17 Race 5: (2) Jay River 11 Race 6: (11) Neruda 19 Race 7: (1) Snowdonia 15 Race 8: (10) Honeybush Tea 27 DURBANVILLE (WED) Race 1: (8) Like Janis 21 Race 2: (2) Galaxy King 39 (EW) Race 3: (1) Secret Plan 15 Race 4: (2) Bora Bora 12 Race 5: (1) Avail 14 Race 6: (1) Elusive Rose 8 Race 7: (10) Vinsanto 43 Race 8: (12) Hilaria 53 VAAL (THUR) Race 1: (5) Cat’s Whiskers 23 Race 2: (1) First Officer Al 21 Race 3: (6) Keep On Flying 12 Race 4: (2) Runalong 21 Race 5: (13) King Gerard 52 (EW) Race 6: (11) Polly Wolly Doodle 53 Race 7: (2) Woza Madoda 42 Race 8: (11) Sir Cecil 46 Race 9: (16) Wandie’s 50 NAP BETS * Fancied ** Strongly fancied *** Very strongly fancied

Going To Ground Racing. It’s A Rush FM 76 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F&M) at Vaal on Thursday

Piere Strydom sticks with recent maiden winner Bondi Blu, who won at her fourth start last time.

She drops 100m but has shown solid resolve at all her starts and could be better than rated.

St John Gray’s Jam Alley 3yo Angelic Appeal has won

twice at the Vaal from just 8 runs.

She beat Kissimee in a similar class handicap at her penultimate start and then ran handily when fading to 3,85 lengths behind Frosty Friday over a 100m further in a higher ranking handicap last time.

Mike Azzie’s Polly Wolly Doodle made a sensational debut on the Vaal sand over 1800m in October last year and scooted home by over 11 lengths. That track is now history and the Judpot filly’s three subsequent turf runs have not provided any fireworks.

cont. from front

Moon Walk

Topweight Mirror The Moon has decent form over the mile and beat the well-performed Pennington Sands at her third last start at Turffontein over the mile.

Her last two runs have been quieter efforts, but in this level of company she

could find her feet again and may be of some value – if she does.

Uncle George Scott has a trio of runners, and the best mare may be the 6yo Malhub mare, Catch A Thief.

She has stayed on well at her last two starts and is capable of a big run in this

company off a galloping 52kgs.

Top Three

Gain Ground. Escudo and Angelic Appeal look like the right three in a tricky handicap – where exotic backers may want to go a little wider to aim for the one-ticket dream.

36

SPORTING POST • MonDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2016