About half of Sunday's Pick pool of R3.5 million was carried over after a succession of rough results bamboozled most punters at Scottsville. Handshakes to the geniuses who found 75/1 spook Gallic Fire (merit rating of 42) in the final leg and outsider Witchcraft in the Oaks. She ambled around the circuit untroubled in the
Greyville hosted top quality racing over the weekend. Grade 1 honours in the Gold Challenge fell to Mac De Lago (speed score 104) via an objection, which was upheld due to interference caused by Trip To Heaven (s/s 104). The deposed "winner" made a bold move from last on the turn and is all the
Talktothestars has been a revelation, improving with age to become a star sprinter after appearing to be no better than a top-division handicapper a few months back. His figures have improved from 102 midway through his fourth year, up to 107 (last start behind Carry On Alice in April,) now to a career high of
The Daily News and Woolavington Stakes were the big races staged at Greyville over this past weekend. Lack of a good early pace may have scrambled things, but it's estimated based on past numbers and collateral form that Rabada ran a speed figure of 105 with Bela Bela scoring 102. Rabada was primed for a
Solid Speed got a neat figure of 100 when just denying St Tropez in the 1900 at Greyville on Friday night. The winner has a serious turn of foot and his early move proved decisive - he has now won eight of 15 starts from a mile up to 2400m. St Tropez ran on well
The racy sprinter Tevez (s/s 104) got the weekend's top figure when winning a Pinnacle Stakes on his comeback. He is proven at Grade 1 level so his victory was expected. Two "under the radar" horses to take out of the race for future reference is Buckinghampshire (s/s 100) and Northern Corner (s/s 100). The
Each new season throws different horses into the spotlight. Anticipating the waxing and waning of thoroughbred performance is one of the key challenges facing punters. Legislate and Silver Mountain, for example, were prominent stars in the recent past and favoured on their comebacks yet neither were factors in the Drill Hall Stakes and Fillies Guineas
Champions Day in Jozi lived up to its billing with a number of stellar performances being recorded. Abashiri (speed score 103) made it a sweep of the Triple Crown when labouring to victory in the SA Derby at Turffontein. The high class bay made his usual early move to seize control, but then had to
The smart Marinaresco (s/s 96+) won the Winter Guineas in Cape Town, making swift progress to deny the outside run of fast- improving Whisky Baron (s/s 96 +) and Vilikazi (s/s 95) who stayed on from the back of the field. Jockey Aldo Domeyer was impressed, "How was that acceleration - he quickens instantly!" The
Inara won the fourth Grade One of her 17 run career when scoring in the Laurie Jaffee Empress Club Stakes at Turffontein. The field merely jogged along in the early sections which affected the final time, with Inara (s/s 88++) using her superior turn of foot from a handy position to get the job done for Mike
