FLAMINGO PARK12:20pm (Monday) p.3

VAAL1:10pm (Tuesday) p.11

DURBANVILLE12:40pm (Wednesday) p.21

VAAL12:15pm (Thursday) p.27

Cont. p.2

Racing. It’s A Rush FM 76 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F&M) at Vaal on � ursday

Our Best Adverts Aren't WrittenThey Are Running!

Tel: Mike Sharkey 082 372 2682www.highlandsfarmstud.co.za

to all our buyers, under bidders and supporters at the 2016 Cape Premier Yearling Sale.

WE WISH THEM ALL SUCCESS IN THE FUTURE.

s with most things in life, the racing programme is supposedly about a balance, and given our feast of high-class fare over the past six weeks, it is time to slow the bus down as it were, and catch the breath. This is a diet week of note, with Flamingo Park on Monday, followed by a

A spate of exotic carryovers has not made things easy for punters recently. With a dip from the Met and Million Dollar razzmatazz to the daily grind of next week’s bread-and-butter fare, the chances of more dicey results looks very likely. At the Vaal on Thursday four maiden plates and five low-grade handicaps make up a programme that will only appeal to the most staunch fan.

Aworkriders meeting at the Vaal on Tuesday. The topliner at the Vaal on Tuesday is a R92 000 MR 76 Fillies & Mares Handicap run over a mile and the fourteen runner field represents an exotic bet speed trap of note.

Power YardMike de Kock’s yard is always a reliable

starting point and they saddle the Wicklow

Stud-bred 3yo Fort Wood filly, Gain Ground.

A lightly tried galloper, she won her maiden over the Scottsville mile at her third start, and has never run a bad race in her five subsequent starts.

Her only run over Thursday’s course and distance produced a 2,60 length fifth in a field of six behind the well-performed Pennington Sands.

She has had two run since a rest and last time out ran on over 1800m when beaten length by Cape Marigold.

The latter, a year older

three-time winner, meets Gain Ground on the same weight terms and there should be little between them.

Serious ChallengeSean Tarry trains the

Dynasty three-time winner Escudo, who has been threatening to win again after a few decent recent efforts.

Her last two runs over the course and distance were decent efforts and she would not be winning out of turn.

The lightly raced Bajan Fantasy won over the course and distance at her last start

and steps up a notch in class, bidding for her third win in eight starts.

The combination of Andrew Fortune and Gary Alexander have been in hot form and she must be included.

Racing. It’s A Rush FM 76 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F&M) at Vaal on � ursday

The Fort Wood fi lly Gain Ground can

improve in an open race

MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FERUARY 2016No. 2222 ISSN 1023 / 6996

2 SPORTING POST • MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2016

TITBITSThe 3yo NYANGAN only had to be pushed out when winning the MR72 Handicap over 1400m (turf) going away by three.

A review of the week's best SPEEDRATINGSwith Steve Furnish SPEEDRATINGS

Last week’s Top Rated

SPEED RATINGS winners incl.

MARK MY CARD ...........WON 20/1

MAN’S INN ...................WON 9/1

SUMMER CRUISE .........WON 5/1

ROYAL CHIAN ...............WON 4/1

MINNESOTA..................WON 5/2

SALINGER .....................WON 22/10

WHISKY BARON............WON 9/10

CAMOMILE ...................WON 8/10

TOP SPEED RATINGS for this MID-WEEK

(Ratings shown have already been adjusted to allocated weights)

FLAMINGO PARK (MON)Race 1: (2) Maya The Bee 8Race 2: (1) Lebeoana 25Race 3: (4) War Declaration 12Race 4: (1) Raving Jewel 12Race 5: (14) Celine 28Race 6: (1) Sub Shaawes 45Race 7: (9) Emerald Mackay 33Race 8: (6) Fiery Goddess 39Race 9: (3) Here We Are 36

VAAL (TUES)Race 1: (1) Watch Me Run 4Race 2: (4) Secunde’s Victor 13Race 3: (7) Grand Classic 4 (NAP*)Race 4: (2) Global Ethos 17Race 5: (2) Jay River 11Race 6: (11) Neruda 19Race 7: (1) Snowdonia 15Race 8: (10) Honeybush Tea 27

DURBANVILLE (WED)Race 1: (8) Like Janis 21Race 2: (2) Galaxy King 39 (EW)Race 3: (1) Secret Plan 15Race 4: (2) Bora Bora 12Race 5: (1) Avail 14Race 6: (1) Elusive Rose 8Race 7: (10) Vinsanto 43Race 8: (12) Hilaria 53

VAAL (THUR)Race 1: (5) Cat’s Whiskers 23Race 2: (1) First Offi cer Al 21Race 3: (6) Keep On Flying 12Race 4: (2) Runalong 21Race 5: (13) King Gerard 52 (EW)Race 6: (11) Polly Wolly Doodle 53Race 7: (2) Woza Madoda 42Race 8: (11) Sir Cecil 46Race 9: (16) Wandie’s 50

NAP BETS* Fancied ** Strongly fancied

*** Very strongly fancied

FASTEST TIMES (The number of races run in each category shown in brackets)

(*Denotes - Times taken by Clockwatcher) (P = Polytrack)

FAIRVIEW (TURF) 22ND JANUARYPenetrometer 22 – Going Good1000m (2) Skrik Vir Niks 56,111200m (6) Cup Cake 67,741600m (1) Stone Town 98,41

GREYVILLE (MIXED) 22ND JANUARYTurf Good/Poly Standard1400m (5) Mark My Card 83,55T1600m (1) Spirit Of Dover 96,46P1800m (2) Selvan’s Jet 110,25P

TURFFONTEIN (OLD) 23RD JANUARYPenetrometer 21 – Going Good1000m (1) Jiffy 58,771160m (2) Barbel Run 68,281400m (1) Zambezi River 86,801800m (4) Stonehenge 112,352000m (1) Shankly Gates 127,38

KENILWORTH (NEW) 23RD JANUARYPenetrometer 22 – Going Good1000m (2) Cloth Of Cloud 59,821200m (2) Pearl Oyster Bay 72,641400m (3) Illuminator 86,211600m (1) Inara 99,682000m (1) It’s My Turn 124,03

NotebookHorses worth following at their next few starts...IT’S MY TURN (J Snaith, W-Cape)NYANGAN (D Kannemeyer, KZN)SUMMER CRUISE (A Greeff, E-Cape)WHISKY BARON (B Crawford, W-Cape)

Only The BestStone Me

Fairview 22nd January

Evergreen Greyville 22nd January

Dominant ThroughoutTurffontein 23rd January

Lighting Up The WalletKenilworth 23rd January

Six of the nine races at Friday’s turf meeting were run over 1200m and the fastest of these was the MR87 Handicap won by CUP CAKE. Well supported on course to go off a joint favourite at 3/1, the daughter of Var raced in midfield early on. She put her head in front as they approached the 100m marker and kept on strongly below the distance to beat the running on MYSTIC EXPRESS by a half.

The faster of the two 1000m races was the MR64 Handicap in which SKRIK VIR NIKS registered his second career

victory. Prominent throughout, the son of Kahal struck the front 50m from home and won well by a length. The one remaining race was a novice plate over 1600m and here a major upset was to be had when STONE TOWN landed the spoils. Sent off as the rank outsider of the eleven horse party at 80/1, Jacque Strydom’s charge raced in the backend of midfield for most of the journey. She ran on best of all after having to switch out for a run, and won comfortably by a length and a half after striking the front 80m or so from home.TITBITS

At the helm from pillar to post SUM-MER CRUISE won the MR69 Handicap over 1200m with plenty in hand.

They raced on both surfaces on Friday evening with two of the three races on the poly being MR66 Handicaps over 1800m. The fastest of these was the second division won by SELVAN’S JET. Supported into 4/1 from 8’s, Alyson Wright’s charge wasn’t the quickest into stride, and as a result he raced in the rear early on. He ran on best of all in the short home straight and won going away after striking the front close home.

All five races on the turf were staged over 1400m and quickest home amongst these was MARK MY CARD in the bill topping MR90 Handicap. Always available at around 20/1, the 4yo daughter of Miesque’s Approval was also a little slow into stride. He ran on strongly from midfield and striking the front 100m from home, won well by a length and a quarter.

The faster of the two maiden plates over 1400m on turf was the boy’s affair won by FORCEFUL RUSH. Sent off a joint favourite at 33/10, Garth Puller’s charge was always handy. He was ridden to lead shortly after passing the 300m marker and won comfortably by three quarters from the running on PURPLE SPLASH.

They raced on the old stand side track on Saturday where the fastest of the four 1800m races was the MR91 Handicap won by STONEHENGE. A winner of Port Elizabeth’s Gr3 Algoa Cup three runs back, Sean Tarry’s charge made all. He was always in command and won without any anxious moments by four.

The faster of the two 1160m races was the MR72 Handicap in which the Joshua Dancer gelding BARBEL RUN registered his fourth career victory.

Positioned in midfield in what was always a very tightly bunched group, Alec Laird’s charge

ran on best of all and got up nicely late to deny the easy to back FORT EAGLE.

A pinnacle stakes over 1400m topped the bill and in what proved to be a real thriller the 33/10 second favourite ZAMBEZI RIVER got the verdict. Still in the rear some six lengths off the front running runner up DIESEL JET 400m out, Sean Tarry’s charge flew late and with the rest comfortably beaten he got up in the dying strides.TITBITS

Lightly raced SHIMMERING BROOK won the MR72 Handicap over 1800m going away by three and three quarters.

In terms of prizemoney, the CTS Million Dollar topped the bill in Cape Town on Saturday and here a bit of an upset was to be had when ILLUMINATOR landed the spoils. Freely available at 16/1 in what proved to be the fastest of the afternoon’s three 1400m events, the apprentice ridden son of Trippi raced in the rear for most of the journey. He ran on stoutly in the straight and got up late to deny the uneasy favourite SILVER MOUNTAIN. Topping the bill otherwise was the Gr1 Cape Derby over 2000m and the Gr1 Majorca Stakes over 1600m. There was also an upset in the Derby when the similarly priced IT’S MY TURN registered his second career victory. Nicely positioned in midfield turning for home, the Dynasty gelding was carried

out when the race began in earnest, and found himself racing along the outside rail. He ran on stoutly at the business end of the race though and won very comfortably by two.

The heavily supported SAME JURISDICTION (11/10 into 11/20) was sent off a strong favourite to win the Majorca and on striking the front 220m from home, she looked to have done everything right. The second favourite INARA also quickened very nicely at that point though, and she went on to win well by three quarters after putting her head in front 100m out.TITBITS

Lightly raced WHISKY BARON won the maiden plate over 1200m going away with plenty in hand.

Racing. It’s A Rush FM 76 DIVIDED HANDICAP (F&M) at Vaal on � ursday cont. � om � ont

Going To GroundPiere Strydom sticks with

recent maiden winner Bondi Blu, who won at her fourth start last time.

She drops 100m but has shown solid resolve at all her starts and could be better than rated.

St John Gray’s Jam Alley 3yo Angelic Appeal has won

twice at the Vaal from just 8 runs.

She beat Kissimee in a similar class handicap at her penultimate start and then ran handily when fading to 3,85 lengths behind Frosty Friday over a 100m further in a higher ranking handicap last time.

Mike Azzie’s Polly Wolly Doodle made a sensational debut on the Vaal sand over 1800m in October last year and scooted home by over 11 lengths. That track is now history and the Judpot filly’s three subsequent turf runs have not provided any fireworks.

Moon WalkTopweight Mirror The

Moon has decent form over the mile and beat the well-performed Pennington Sands at her third last start at Turffontein over the mile.

Her last two runs have been quieter efforts, but in this level of company she

could find her feet again and may be of some value – if she does.

Uncle George Scott has a trio of runners, and the best mare may be the 6yo Malhub mare, Catch A Thief.

She has stayed on well at her last two starts and is capable of a big run in this

company off a galloping 52kgs.

Top ThreeGain Ground. Escudo and

Angelic Appeal look like the right three in a tricky handicap – where exotic backers may want to go a little wider to aim for the one-ticket dream.

36 SPORTINGPOST•MonDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th FEBRUARY 2016