Racing went ahead on a very heavy track at Kenilworth on Saturday. Ability to handle soft ground obviously counted for a lot, whilst unfit horses were badly exposed. The track variant came up as -79 for the 1200m straight course which is about the slowest I can recall calculating in many years. Around the
Taking multiples is a popular strategy for punters who want to bet a little to win a lot. The chance of landing them may be desperately slim, but the payoffs can justify the risk. Some of the biggest coups ever landed in horse racing gambling are long odds multiples that miraculously connected. A spirited
Shangani at 7/1 won the historic Gold Cup for stayers over 3200m at Greyville in the season- ending meeting. Trained by Paul Peter, the Highveld based marathon runner only caught 40/1 outsider, Imperial Ruby in deep stretch. Another handily placed entry, 20/1 shot Rex Union was under a length back in third spot. None
So Flawless (speed score 104 +) rounded off her under-appreciated career with a second successive Grade 3 victory in the Final Fling Stakes (G3) at Kenilworth. The race was a great success for Plattner Racing and trainer Andre Nel who saddled the exacta with three-year-old, Young Love (s/s 98.) So Flawless (by Legislate) has
Peach Daiquiri scored a speed figure of 80 on Friday at Fairview which is not remarkable in itself. Yet her eight lengths win left punch-drunk punters debating the subsequent controversy. Her surprised trainer Sharon Kotzen commented beforehand that it was an educational run, yet her charge was backed from 8’s into 5/2 favorite before
In action on the Highveld, Electric Gold (s/s 90) got a nice figure for a two-year-old when winning a MR 72 handicap over 1600m. He was three quarters of a length ahead of Humble Tune (s/s 88) at the wire and the son of Flying the Flag is worth watching as he develops physically.
The only filly in the race, Sparkling Water (speed score 105 +) won the Durban July in emphatic style at Greyville on Saturday. It was great to have big crowds back and a party atmosphere on course to give the sport of horse racing a boost of popularity. Fans could cheer her home as,
Winchester Mansion accelerated best of all off a slow pace to win the Grade 3 Pocket Power Stakes (formerly known as the Winter Derby) at Kenilworth over 2400m. He’d run second to Gem King in the 2nd Leg of the Winter Series but with that rival failing to fire on Saturday it opened the
Horseplayers around the world were enthralled by the action from Royal Ascot which stretched over five days, culminating on Saturday. Two prominent SA owners savored extra special triumphs as Mary Slack’s Claymore won the Hampton Court Stakes and the Kieswetter family’s Candleford (bred at their Barnane Stud) romped in the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes.
Al Muthana (speed score 111) took out the G1 Gold Challenge with a withering run down the center of the course which proved just too good for Linebacker (s/s 110). The winner (sired by Deep Field in Australia) produced some seriously smart figures on the Highveld before a below par run in the Horse