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FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH WITH MARK VAN DEVENTER
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If you would like to listen to tips and race previews ahead of Durbanville racing today, Click the button that says Listen To Podcast below and press play! Hurry, the first race is off at 13:05!
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Whilst big money and global racing interests were focused in Dubai for the World Cup meeting, domestic Grade Two races were staged at Turffontein where Coral Fever (speed score 103) clinched the Colorado King Stakes, followed by Tandava (s/s 100) upsetting the Senor Santa over 1160m.
Tandava, trained by Gokhan Terzi, who has relocated from Zimbabwe, produced a decisive closing burst to pass Pure Blonde (s/s 99) and complete a bewildering sequence of results. This final shocker helped trigger a massive Jackpot dividend of 105K.
Earlier, Chariot of Gold (s/s 94) won the Oaks Trial from the front, whilst Gambado (s/s 95) snuck in by a flared nostril in the colts’ Derby equivalent. The Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint went to Myfunnyvalentine (s/s 97) who won fluently over her preferred course and distance.
In Port Elizabeth, trainer Tara Laing maintained her stranglehold when winning the East Cape Sprint Cup for the fifth year in a row, after stalwart Exelero (s/s 101) held off Juan Two Three’s (s/s 100) closing rally.
Down in the Cape, Platinum Class (s/s 101+) completed a notable hat-trick. The daughter of Silvano again quickened up really swiftly to trounce her rivals and looks very promising. She was chased home by Raya Baya (s/s 97) who should do well in races over ground during the Winter.
Regular readers of this column may recall a July piece about Mind Your Biscuits, the quirky American dirt sprinter who won the Dubai Golden Shaheen in 2017. His super-confident, young New York trainer Chad Summers plays him hip-hop music in the stable and mixes an unusual apple/ginger concoction to get him to relax and eat properly.
Well, Mind Your Biscuits won again at Meydan on Saturday taking earnings to USD 3.7 million after launching a dramatic stretch run. Check out a clip of this eye-popping victory against the track bias – those who believe dirt sprints always go to one-dimensional speedballs hugging the rail are in for a surprise.
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