21 - 24 December #2210 Sporting Post

MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th DECEMBER 2015

No. 2210 ISSN 1023 / 6996

FAIRVIEW 12:30pm (Monday) p.4

KENILWORTH 1:10pm (Tuesday) p.11

SCOTTSVILLE 12:40pm (Wednesday) p.18

TURFFONTEIN Sean Tarry's Met candidate French Navy looks a gift for punters

JC PHOTOS

12:15pm (Thursday) p.31

PINNACLE STAKES at Turffontein on Thursday Sean Tarry throws punters, and the racing gods, a tasty bone on Christmas Eve as he sends out star 4yo French Navy on the Turffontein standside track. Good horses make for good racing – and increased betting turnover. At the weights, the son of Count Dubois looks a good thing and could provide an early gift for exotic backers.

O

ur SA champion trainer is getting quite used to brightening our midweek racing fare – a fortnight ago he stepped out SA Derby winner Legal Eagle on a Thursday afternoon.

While that top horse was beaten by the well-tried Killua Castle, it looks

unlikely that lightning will strike twice at the same venue.

French Navy takes on nine opponents in a mile Pinnacle Stakes and while he hasn’t cracked a win over the trip since shedding his maiden, he should

have this lot at his mercy at the weights.

Eagle Ahead

It has been well documented that either French Navy or Legal Eagle will spearhead the Tarry 2016 J&B Met assault and a decision will be made on who exactly travels the long road to Cape Town after the Gr3 London News Stakes, which is to be run on 9 January.

French Navy is currently at 8-1 in the Met antepost and that doesn’t look attractive – mainly because it is known

that his conditioner expects Legal Eagle to be turning out on 30 January.

The Gr1 Daily News 2000 winner comes in here off his excellent third behind Master Sabina in the Sansui Summer Cup last month.

With two stablemates in the race, there will be tactical options to ensure a decent – although Whiteline Fever doesn’t look likely in that capacity and Lunar Approach could be the tactical sacrificial lamb.

Magic Miler

Alec Laird will have some hopes of toppling the big gun.

He saddles that excellent miler Bezanova, and the still not right Forest Indigo.

Cont. p.2

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2

SPORTING POST • MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th DECEMBER 2015 Top Rated Last week ’sS winners incl.

G N TI SPEED RA

Third Run After Rest

A review of the week's best SPEEDRATINGS

with Steve Furnish

Global Upset

Royal Hat-trick

Fairview 11th December

Greyville 11th December

races was the MR64 Handicap in which STORMING HOME registered his third career victory.

Nicely positioned in second as the eleven runners turned for home, Alan Greeff ’s charge put his head in front going through the 200m, and went on to score with authority by two and a quarter.

A MR87 Handicap over 1900m topped the bill and here a major upset was to be had when GLOBAL EXPRESS landed the spoils. Sent off as the rank outsider of the eight horse party at 40/1, the bottom weight made Horses worth following at their next few starts... all. He was two and a quarter MASTER’S SPIRIT (M De Kock, Gauteng) lengths clear entering the straight PATERFAMILIAS (M Bass, W-Cape) and that proved just enough to SMART CALL (A Laird, Gauteng) see him through by the narrowest of margins.

TITBITS

Friday evening’s meeting was a mixed affair with six races taking place on the poly and two on the turf. The turf races both took place over 2000m and fastest against the clock here was the hat-trick seeking PRINCESS VARUNYA in the MR75 Handicap. She got away well when the gates opened and raced prominent throughout.

She put her head in front as they approached the 200m marker and comfortably accounted for the front running CLASSE MONDIALE by two and three quarters.

Three of the six races on the poly were staged over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was FRENCH LASS in the MR70 Handicap.

Positioned in the backend of midfield coming off the bend, the Western Winter mare ran on best of all in the straight and got up nicely late to score by three quarters.

The faster of the two 2000m races on the poly was the MR66 Handicap won by KITTY’S DESTINY. Backed into favouritism at the track, Duncan Howells’ charge also ran on stoutly from midfield. He struck the front at the top of the straight and cruised clear over the final 400m to score by five and three quarters.

TITBITS

A maiden plate over 2200m was first up at Friday’s poly track meeting and here we saw a comfortable victory for the uneasy favourite KNOCKOUT JOHNY (12/10 out to 18/10). Taken straight to the front by Robert Khathi, the Teofilo gelding led throughout. He kept on strongly in the short home straight and won well by a length and a quarter.

The faster of the two 1600m

Notebook

FASTEST TIMES

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

FAIRVIEW (POLY) 11th DECEMBER Going Standard 1000m (2) Thembisa 58,27 1200m (2) Rebel House 70,13* 1600m (2) Storming Home 95,81 1900m (2) Ming Warrior 115,81* 2200m (1) Knockout Johny 138,20 GREYVILLE (MIXED) 11th DECEMBER Turf Good – Poly Standard 1400m (3) French Lass 84,73P 1600m (1) Team Guys 95,36P 2000m (2) Kitty’s Destiny 122,47P 2000m (2) Princess Varunya 122,90T TURFFONTEIN (OLD) 12th DECEMBER Penetrometer 22 – Going Good 800m (1) Hamunapta 47,29 1160m (4) Splendid Garden 67,59 1400m (1) Belle Sonata 86,89 1600m (1) Terepova 100,59 1800m (1) Smart Call 111,47 2000m (1) Lord Windsor 125,73 KENILWORTH (NEW) 12th DECEMBER Penetrometer 21 – Going Good 800m (1) Var Ahead 48,97* 1200m (3) School Run 73,03 1400m (1) Adorada 89,29 1600m (2) Ma Choix 112,26 1800m (2) Milton 100,80 1800m (1) Mooghamir 110,75

The 3yo THEMBISA made all when winning the faster of the two 1000m races, a MR60 Handicap, with some in hand.

On The Upgrade Kenilworth 12th December

Have A Great One!

PINNACLE STAKES Turffontein on Thursday cont. from front page Bezanova probably found the 1800m too far last time when just over a length off Killua Castle and Legal Eagle, and with the in-form Weichong Marwing up, he cannot be underrated.

Tyrone Zackey’s Judicial meets French Navy on 3,5kgs worse terms after his Summer Cup revelation run – when powering up for fourth.

Big Smile

Geoff Woodruff’s Shadow Ofhis Smile came back to something like his best last time to down Charity Mile winner Bouclette Top. We never know quite what to expect from the son of Western Winter, and he won’t have it easy.

French Navy is the automatic choice and he should bounce back to best to win this and make it a fine Christmas for all of us.

EASY CALL Turffontein 12th December

Poorly drawn and slow into stride to boot, lightly raced BLUE BEACH ran on well from the rear when third in the girls’ maiden plate over 1400m.

The first maiden juvenile plate to be run in the Western Cape this season got proceedings underway on Saturday, and here we saw a very easy victory for the favourite VAR AHEAD. Sent off at 15/20 to win this 800m scurry, Justin Snaith’s charge was very quickly two lengths clear. He kept up a healthy gallop from pillar to post and won without any anxious moments by three and a half.

Three of the afternoon’s nine races were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR84 Handicap won by SCHOOL RUN. Freely available at 10/1 on the off, the bottom weight was always handy. She moved up to challenge the front running favourite SILVER BANSHEE 150m out and after a thrilling tussle she only got the verdict on the nod.

The Gr2 Premier Trophy topped the bill and in a time some 2,5 seconds slower than that of MA CHOIX, winner of the only other race over the distance, the Gr3 Victress Stakes, victory here went to the improving PATERFAMILIAS. Sent off a strong favourite at 15/10, Mike Bass’ charge raced fifth for most of the journey.

He quickened well at the top of the new course straight and comfortably accounted for the 8yo GOLD ONYX.

They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the best bet on the card for most, SMART CALL in the conditions plate over 1800m, did the business. Just four went to post and in what proved to be more of a 600m sprint the 1/4 favourite raced third. He started the ball rolling at the 600m pole and with the other two some fourteen lengths adrift, he easily accounted for the second favourite PINE PRINCESS by two.

TOP SPEED RATINGS A maiden juvenile plate for this MID-WEEK over 800m had gotten (Ratings shown have already been proceedings underway adjusted to allocated weights) and here victory went to the second favourite FAIRVIEW (MON) HAMUNAPTRA. Soon Race 1: (2) Minnaroom 6 up handy, the Var filly Race 2: (5) Gauteng 7 ran on strongly at the Race 3: (3) Captain’s Slipper 42 business end of the race Race 4: (12) Soaring Jet 50 and after a thrilling Race 5: (7) The Captain’s Cat 45 tussle with the colt Race 6: (5) Midnight Magenta 38 SILVER KING (18/10 Race 7: (3) Emblem Honour 35 fav) she got the verdict Race 8: (12) Laws Of Succession 42 by three quarters.

KENILWORTH (TUES) The only distance to Race 1: (2) Mount Fuji 12 stage more than one Race 2: (6) Sea Spray 37 race was 1160m and Race 3: (3) Florrick 12 the fastest of the four Race 4: (8) Another Idea 75 events here was the Race 5: (8) Boomtown Belter 40 MR97 Handicap won by Race 6: (6) Lord Marshal 72 (NAP*) SPLENDID GARDEN. Race 7: (8) More Than Grand 48 On leaving the stalls it Race 8: (3) Cautiontothewind 19 was GREASEPAINT SCOTTSVILLE (WED) who elected to make Race 1: (1) Seventh Moment 13 the running whilst Race 2: (2) Omega Onslaught 21 Michael Azzie’s charge Race 3: (1) Bank It 25 (NAP*) raced some five lengths Race 4: (3) You Bolt 36 away in midfield. He Race 5: (1) Shine Up 25 cut through the field Race 6: (11) Delray Beach 45 Race 7: (5) Baltic Amber 77 like knife when given Race 8: (15) Red Red Ruby 58 rein 400m out, and won Race 9: (3) Golden Earings 16 going away by two and a half after striking the TURFFONTEIN (THUR) front 100m from home.

Race 1: (8) Antagonist 23 Race 2: (6) Blazing Brave 56 TITBITS

TITBITS

The 3yo VILAKAZI came from the backend of midfield and won going away when opening his account in the maiden plate over 1200m.

After making all SPEED LIMIT only had to be pushed out in the closing stages when getting off the mark in the maiden 1600m.

Trainer Dennis Drier won the Diadem Stakes in 2014 with the present day Klawervlei stallion Captain Of All and he returns to the well with Cape Merchants winner Triptique in a bid to register a glorious double at Kenilworth on Sunday 27 December.

The R400 000 Gr2 Khaya Stables Diadem Stakes has attracted a quality field of ten runners and visiting trainer Sean Tarry adds plenty of interest to the mix with his mixed bag coupling of Zambezi River and Bichette.

The Diadem Stakes is a prestigious sprint and has been won three times by great sprinters Flobayou and Nhlavini.

ON 40/1 SS ......... W 9/1 E R P X E L A GLOB .. WON HOME ........

ON 11/2 STORMING .. .......... .. W .. .. .. .. .. ..

E N JOLE WON 5/2 .................

E C R O F P ON 18/10 TRIP ................. W 8/10 ..

E S O R K DAR .. WON ALE ............

THE LONSD WON 11/20 .. ..

IRIT .... .

P S ’S R E T S ON 1/4 MA ................. W L L A C T R A SM

In a very false paced work rider’s maiden event over 1600m, TEREPOVA ran out a very easy winner by nine.

Running on from the rear the heavily supported MASTER’S SPIRIT didn’t find the clearest of passages before getting up late to win the MR79 Handicap over 1160m.

Sketchy records show it started life as the Diadem Plate, then became the Southern Cross Plate.

It starts life in 1957 and holds its current format since 1974, when won by that great horse, Lancaster.

Race 3: (1) Samarra 16 Race 4: (1) Golden Man 27 Race 5: (1) French Navy 88 (NAP*) Race 6: (10) Ruby Ruby 48 Race 7: (4) Luca Delago 54 Race 8: (6) Capricious 8 NAP BETS * Fancied ** Strongly fancied *** Very strongly fancied

The latter was ridden by present day trainer Patrick Kruyer for the charismatic late Alec Soteriadis - a man know for his dapper attire on course - which included the standard bow-tie!

R400 000 KHAYA STABLES DIADEM STAKES (Grade 2) - Kenilworth Sunday 27 December 1

1

Tevez

60

112

A

A Domeyer

Mike Bass

2

7

Triptique

60

101

A

S Veale

Dennis Drier

3

3

Gulf Storm

59

110

A

C Orffer

Brett Crawford

4

4

King Of Pain

59

106

A

A Delpech

Joey Ramsden

5

8

Zambezi River

59

103

A

...............

Sean Tarry

6

5

Talktothestars

59

100

TB

G Behr

Coenie de Beer

7

9

Exelero

59

97

BA

M Byleveld

Vaughan Marshall

8

6

Fly By Night

58.5

110

A

B Fayd'Herbe

Mike Bass

9

10

Bichette

57.5

108

A

S Khumalo

Sean Tarry

10

2

Lanner Falcon

56.5

104

A

G van Niekerk

Mike Bass

Same Trainer - Not Coupled on Tote (1,8,10) (5,9)

SPORTING POST • MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th DECember 2015

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SPORTING POST • MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th DECember 2015

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SPORTING POST • MONDAY 21st - THURSDAY 24th DECember 2015