Horseracing highlights from this past weekend – who to keep an eye on and some impressive wins…
Best score on Saturday at Kenilworth was attained by the progressive handicapper, It Is Written (speed fig 101) who easily completed a hat trick. He was chased home by A Time To Kill (speed score 96) who put in a career best despite being slow out, and is now worth following.
Feature races on Sunday saw some good performances at Clairwood. Red Flame (speed score 98) won the Pinnacle Stakes over 1500m, appreciating turning back in trip after fading in the Woolavington. She just held off the persistent attentions of Admiral's Eye (s/s 97) in a tight finish.
Sheiks Brashee (s/s 100) continues to improve, winning the Durban Dash in a fluent manner, though most punters were looking the other way as he had only beaten weaker before this victory. Gulf Storm (s/s 99) was stiff in defeat, having to switch in to make a run and only going down narrowly.
Handicaps give the older runners a chance to remain competitive as they decline due to the aches and pains of advancing years - seven year old Mikes Choice got it right in another Pinnacle Stakes. In his prime, the Tambourlaine gelding was able to run figures around 104; he managed to win this event with a score of 95. Given that he was taken out on the turn in the Merchants at his last start, it was a deserving turn of fortune for Michael Robert's runner.