MONDAY 22nd - THURSDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2016
No. 2228 ISSN 1023 / 6996 3yo African Ruler goes for his fourth straight win
FAIRVIEW POLY 12:55pm (Monday) p.3 VAAL 12:40pm (Tuesday) p.10
DURBANVILLE 12:40pm (Wednesday) p.23
TURFFONTEIN INNER 12:15pm (Thursday) p.28
MR 95 HANDICAP at Vaal on Tuesday
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Paul Peter has labelled Costa Da Costa’s Trippi gelding African Ruler one of the best he has ever trained and the 3yo gets another chance to prove that he really is as good as his trainer thinks he is. He goes for his fourth successive win at the Vaal on Tuesday.
od willing, we are aiming African Ruler at the Computaform Sprint and that suggests that we really do think very highly of him,” says Paul Peter when quizzed on his charge’s prospects in the R106 000 MR 95 Handicap over the 1200m straight. And Paul knows that talk is the cheapest commodity in the racing game!
the end of April, and there is ‘method to the madness’ in Paul having run his charge as often as he has recently. “He is a very green horse and I am trying to give him as much racing experience as I am reasonably able to. Gavin (Lerena) said that last time he pinned his ears back and dug his toes in when he saw the false rail and the advertising boards. We don’t need him to go into a Gr1 weight-for-age race and not do his best by running green,” he added.
On The Up
Jockey
African Ruler is a progressive galloper and has climbed the handicapper’s ladder from a 91 rating at the outset of his three run winning streak to the 102 that he jumps at here. Two of his recent wins have been over the course and distance and he strips a fit horse some way off his season target, which is ten weeks away. The R1 million Gr1 Computaform Sprint will be run over 1000m at Turffontein at
He went on to say that it was unfortunate that Hong Kong-bound Gavin Lerena won’t be riding African Ruler, but that his cousin Brandon had won his post-maiden at Scottsville and was aware that the gelding liked to run at them late. “Funny enough, Gavin actually rode African Ruler for his bad draw last time and he scraped home ahead of Kapitan. He is better than that when ridden
Highlands has another super draft of Yearlings on the
CTS Marc� Sal�! 19 - 20 March 2016 Durbanville Racecourse
as he prefers. I fancy him here and he has beaten many of them already anyway,” he said confidently. As the only 3yo in the field of fourteen, and bumping a bunch of hardknocking battle scarred handicappers, African Ruler will have to bring his a-game to the track. Louis Goosen’s classy topweight One Man’s Dream is very capable but racing off form at the moment and looks held by African Ruler, who beat him 3,45 lengths last time out.
Big Yards
Sean Tarry and Mike De Kock have three runners each in the race. De Kock’s three includes a pair of decent 4yo’s. Anton Marcus rides the Listed Michaelmas Handicap Alghadeer, who returns to action following a 12 week break after his short Cape campaign. Anjaal has also been rested
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Filly Colt Filly Colt Colt Filly Colt Filly Colt Colt Filly Filly
for a similar time and looks the better over this trip – even if jockey engagements suggest otherwise. The 5yo four-time winner Capricorn Ridge has not run for over four months and was quite effective on the sand. Tarry looks to be sharpening Tiger Territory and The Hangman, who are both more effective over more ground. Andrew Fortune is an eyecatching booking for the third of the Tarry trio. He is the 7yo Toreador gelding Prince Jazeem, who has not won in ages, and has been largely out of sorts lately. Greasepaint ran 7,75 lengths behind Viking Hero in the Tommy Hotspur Handicap last time. His form has tapered negatively in his last few runs.
and this sprinting so of Ideal World must have a shout as a course and distance winner. Dennis The Menace cannot be discounted on the merits of his penultimate half length third to African Ruler, whom he now meets on 3kgs better terms. He failed to spark last time when 6 lengths behind Pure Blonde, but is capable of a good run every now and again. Former Gavin Van Zyl runner Jet Fever returns from an 85 week break and would need further to show his very decent best ability.
Strike Craft
Alec Laird’s’ Amazing Strike has run two consecutive fifths
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SPORTING POST • MONDAY 22nd - THURSDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2016 Top Rated Last week ’sS winners incl. G N TI SPEED RA
Hot Off The Press
A review of the week's best SPEEDRATINGS
with Steve Furnish
On A Plate
Vaal 11th They raced on the inside track on Thursday where the best bet on the card for most ABASHIRI did the business in the faster of the two 1700m events, a graduation plate. Thrown in at the weights, the 1/5 shot raced in the rear for most of the journey. He didn’t find the clearest of passages when asked for his effort, but despite that won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 140m or so from home. The faster of the two 1200m races was the MR86 Handicap won by the lightly raced 3yo PURE BLONDE. A winner of two from four coming into the race, Alec Laird’s charge made all. He kept on strongly over the final 400m and went to score by a half from the easy to back veteran
A Walk In The Park
February COHIBA. The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m was the second division in which DE LUJO finally got off the mark. Sent off third in the betting market, in this his 22nd appearance in the maiden ranks, the son of Ravishing led from pillar to post. He was two lengths clear for the majority of the event and although another with potential to be a long time maiden in WILLIAM NICOL was very steadily gaining at the wire, he still had just under a length to spare. TITBITS The 4yo HA LUCY came from the rear when winning the allowance plate over 1000m going away by over a length.
FASTEST TIMES (The number of races run in each category shown in brackets) (*Denotes - Times taken by Clockwatcher) (P = Polytrack)
VAAL (INSIDE) 11TH FEBRUARY Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1000m (1) Ha Lucy 1200m (2) Pure Blonde 1400m (2) De Lujo 1700m (2) Abashiri 2000m (1) Tip Of The Glacier 2400m (1) Rocky Stallone
56,69 69,18 83,44 101,17 124,56 147,61
FAIRVIEW (TURF) 12TH FEBRUARY Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 1000m (1) O Tamara 57,16 1200m (1) Brave Vision 1400m (1) Oreo 1600m (3) Eternal Winter 1800m (1) Arezzo 2000m (1) Rock Like Jagger 2400m (1) Oh So Modus
68,29 84,93 97,91 109,97 125,00 154,34
GREYVILLE (POLY) 12TH FEBRUARY Going Standard 1000m (2) Ginger Biscuit 58,38 1400m (3) Do Be Snappy 83,79 1900m (3) Kileigh 115,96 TURFFONTEIN (INNER) 13TH FEBRUARY Penetrometer 20 – Going Good 1200m (1) Yankee Captain 75,48 1450m (5) Irish Pride 87,71 1600m (1) Wukkin’ Up 97,78 1800m (1) Lovingkindness 112,32 2200m (1) Kissimmee 138,91
Notebook
Horses worth following at their next few starts...
Fairview 12th February the 300m, and drew clear easily in the closing stages of the race to win by two and a quarter. Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1600m and quickest home amongst these was ETERNAL WINTER in the MR60 Handicap. Confidently ridden by Francois Herholdt, the 4/1 favourite sat in midfield for most of the journey. She ran on strongly down the long home straight and in what proved to be a real thriller she got up in the very last stride to deny JAY BELLE.
Friday’s action took place on the turf where the easiest victory on the card was registered by AREZZO in the graduation plate over 1800m. Soon up handy, the very well weighted Western Cape raider raced prominent throughout. He put his head in front shortly after passing the 300m marker and with a ton in hand cruised clear to score by five and three quarters. Another to win with authority on this card was O TAMARA in the opening maiden juvenile plate over 1000m. Positioned fifth of the eight during the early part of the race, the well-supported second favourite was ridden to lead going through
TITBITS
The easy to back 3yo RAVE KING ran out a very comfortable winner of the boy’s division of the maiden 1600m.
Tasting Success
Greyville 12th February All of the eight races on Friday evening were 250m out and with the rest well beaten he won run on the poly track. A MR83 Handicap topped comfortably from the running on SHREYA’S the bill and in what proved to be the fastest of the STAR by a half. The remaining two races were three 1900m races victory went to the top weight staged over 1000m and stopping the clock in the KILEIGH. She got away well when the gates fastest time here was GINGER BISCUIT in the opened and was always handy. She was ridden to MR80 Handicap. Positioned in the backend of lead shortly after passing the 200m marker and midfield as the ten runners swung for home, the kept on strongly in the closing stages of the race to daughter of Admire Main ran on best of all in the beat the running on favourite LITTLE CHAPEL straight, and under a well-judged ride from Warren Kennedy she got up late to score by a half. by a length and three quarters. They also ran three races over 1400m and TITBITS quickest home amongst these was DO BE SNAPPY The full sister to Paterfamilias MATER FAMILIAS in the MR80 Handicap. Nicely positioned in fifth couldn’t have been more impressive when openin what was always a very tightly bunched field, ing her account by five and three quarters in the Dean Kannemeyer’s charge took up the running maiden plate over 1400m.
A Merry Jig Turffontein 13th February They raced on the inner track on Saturday afternoon where five of the nine races were run over 1450m. The fastest of these was the MR75 Handicap won by the well thought of IRISH PRIDE. Allowed to drift out to 7/1 from 9/2 at the track, the poorly drawn son of Ideal World raced in the rear early on. He ran on strongly in the short home straight and with the rest comfortably beaten he did well to collar KANGAROO JACK (led 220m) close home. Fourth placed AMERICAN TIGER also ran on well from the rear in this race. A maiden plate for the girls had opened up proceedings and here we saw a smart performance from the second favourite LOVINGKINDNESS. Another to run on stoutly from the rear, Gavin Van
Zyl’s charge struck the front 150m from home and cruised clear below the distance to score by three and a quarter. Race two on the card was a maiden plate over 1200m and here we saw a very comfortable victory for the favourite YANKEE CAPTAIN. On leaving the stalls it was the well exposed ASHKENAZI who elected to make the running whilst the son of Captain Al raced in midfield. He quickened well at the business end of the race and only having to be pushed out won comfortably by three quarters.
TITBITS
ON 6/1 .............. W .. .. E E M IM KISS WON 6/1 ................ .. .. .. .. I K S ON 9/2 ZRIN .............. W N IO IS V E V BRA WON 7/2 ................ .. .. .. G N E T ON 33/10 GAU ............... W .. .. .. .. O J ON 5/2 DE LU K............ W S U D G IN T ON 8/10 DRIF ............... W .. I B M O T N JET WON 7/10 GLACIER .... E H T F O TIP
The 3yo JUNGLE MIST was gaining at the finish when only beaten a neck in the graduation plate over 1450m.
ABASHIRI (M Azzie, Gauteng) IRISH PRIDE (JJ v Vuuren, Gauteng) MATER FAMILIAS (D Drier, KZN) O TAMARA (A Greeff, E-Cape)
TOP SPEED RATINGS for this MID-WEEK (Ratings shown have already been adjusted to allocated weights)
FAIRVIEW (MON) Race 1: (1) Harmston Herald 16 (NAP*) Race 2: (3) Sportstrader 18 Race 3: (9) Hunting Eagle 14 Race 4: (8) Kumiko 78 Race 5: (10) Tiger Hotspur 33 Race 6: (1) Frederick Fox 55 Race 7: (5) Dream To Reality 73 Race 8: (10) Conquering Queen 54 VAAL (TUES) Race 1: (1) Beckoning 8 Race 2: (4) Janoobi 16 Race 3: (1) Seal My Fate 14 Race 4: (3) Gaggle 7 Race 5: (4) The Hangman 79 Race 6: (4) Imperial Gold 53 Race 7: (1) Tiger’s Touch 70 (nb) Race 8: (5) Heywot 51 Race 9: (4) Aldiara 58 (NAP*) DURBANVILLE (WED) Race 1: (10) Molly Chambers 18 Race 2: (6) Pirangi 44 Race 3: (1) Secret Plan 15 Race 4: (1) Twenty Four Carat 10 Race 5: (1) Variance 17 Race 6: (5) Magical Bet 58 (EW) Race 7: (8) Chanukah 43 Race 8: (7) Half Moon Hotel 58 TURFFONTEIN (THUR) Race 1: (1) Winning Sister 18 Race 2: (5) American Storm 65 Race 3: (1) Koncealed 16 Race 4: (10) Bird Alley 10 (NAP*) Race 5: (5) Captain Chips 21 Race 6: (4) Kenton On Sea 40 Race 7: (11) Soft Sand 36 Race 8: (1) Mod Barley 67 Race 9: (5) Savethelastdance 57 NAP BETS * Fancied ** Strongly fancied *** Very strongly fancied
Guineas Day Class
Top-class fields of 3yo's have been assembled for the two races
Joburg’s Prawn Festival forms a mouthwatering back-drop to the Gauteng Guineas meeting at Turffontein on Saturday 27 February, where the Triple Crown and Triple Tiara series launches with the locally run first leg. The Triple Crown, which includes the alternate ‘away’ first leg of the Grand Parade Cape Guineas won by the overseas bound Noah From Goa, runs on 2 April and reaches a climax on Champions Day, scheduled for 30 April. Top-class fields of 3yo’s have been assembled for the two races.
Betting World Gr2 GAUTENG GUINEAS
Wilgerbosdrift Gr2 GAUTENG FILLIES GUINEAS
R1 000 000 • 1600m 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
3 10 11 6 13 16 1 15 8 4 2 9 7 5 12 14
Abashiri 60 109 A K Zechner Mike Azzie Brazuca (AUS) 60 109 T A A Marcus Johan Janse van Vuuren New Predator (AUS) 60 107 A S Randolph Johan Janse van Vuuren Champagne Haze 60 106 A A Fortune Gary Alexander Rocketball 60 103 A M Yeni Gavin van Zyl Suyoof (AUS) 60 103 A A Delpech Mike de Kock Muwaary (AUS) 60 102 A *C Murray Mike de Kock Romany Prince 60 101 A B Fayd’Herbe Ormond Ferraris Le Clos 60 99 A *M Thackeray Mike Azzie Lunar Approach 60 95 T A S Khumalo Sean Tarry Celtic Captain 60 94 BA B Lerena Gavin van Zyl Liege 60 93 T A J P v’d Merwe Sean Tarry Rikitikitana 60 93 A C Zackey Sean Tarry Malak El Moolook 60 91 A M V’Rensburg Sean Tarry Ole Gunnar 60 87 T A K de Melo Paul Lafferty Coral Fever 60 79 BA R Danielson Robbie Sage Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote: (1,9) (2,3) (5,11) (6,7) (10,12,13,14)
R500 000 • 1600m 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
5 2 13 9 6 4 14 10 15 8 11 7 17 12 3 1 16
Negroamaro 60 104 A A Marcus Johan Janse van Vuuren She’s A Dragon 60 101 A R Munger Craig Mayhew Juxtapose 60 98 A C Maujean Stanley Ferreira Princess Varunya (AUS) 60 98 A A Delpech Kumaran Naidoo Heaps Of Fun 60 95 A S Khumalo Sean Tarry Persian Rug 60 94 A B Lerena Mike de Kock Frosty Friday 60 93 A M Yeni Gavin van Zyl Lala 60 92 A I Sturgeon Doug Campbell Melliflora 60 90 A *M Thackeray Mike Azzie Crystal Glamour 60 88 A A Fortune Gary Alexander Alexa 60 87 A R Danielson Geoff Woodruff Khonza 60 87 A *C Murray Weiho Marwing Jungle Mist 60 85 A K Zechner Mike Azzie Bella Sonata 60 84 A C Zackey Gavin van Zyl Christmas Carol 60 83 A B Fayd’Herbe Geoff Woodruff Penny Serenade 60 82 A J P v’d Merwe Mike Azzie Polyphonic 60 82 A R Simons Alec Laird Same Trainer – Not Coupled on Tote: (7,14) (9,13,16) (11,15)
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SPORTING POST • MonDAY 22nd - THURSDAY 25th FEBRUARY 2016