PREVIEW: CLAIRWOOD - 20 APRIL 2014

Some interesting first timers line up for the first of the day. Cape Town trainers could walk away with a number of winners today. They could start with the Vaughan Marshall, well bred daughter of SILVANO, STAR OF MYSORE. Has been well supported in the betting. Watch for further betting moves. OFF RAMP is another first timer worthy of consideration. WIDGIT will improve on a fair Kenilworth debut last time. Showed good speed on debut. The fact that Richard Fourie is in Durban to ride for Justin Snaith could tell one something about the trainer's chances. MISS ARGENTINA could show on debut. QUEEN OF THRONES cast a shoe on debut last time after having been heavily backed. Experience should make this a better run.

1st – STAR OF MYSORE (17/10 F) (10); 2nd – OFF RAMP (8); 3rd – WIDGIT (12); 4th - MISS ARGENTINA (6); 5th – QUEEN OF THRONES (9)

Vaughan Marshall could score a quick double this afternoon with another first timer, TWENTY TWO. Watch for any betting moves. GUINESS is an Australian bred first timer from the Dennis Drier yard. Is priced up as joint favourite with VARBRATION. The latter has Anton Marcus aboard which could be significant. GLINKA  showed improvement in his second start last time. Was backed last time. ANAFESTO raced hreen on debut last time. Quartet inclusion!

1st – TWENTY TWO (62/10) (8); 2nd – GUINESS (5/2 JF) (3); 3rd – VARBRATION (5/2 JF) (9); 4th - GLINKA (2); 5th – ANAFESTO (1)

DONNA AMATA has improved in her last three starts. Shows some heart.  PHONETIC was an unlucky loser last time when badly baulked with about 300m to travel. Could make amends this afternoon. VENETIAN GOLD ran on well last time. Anton Marcus has the ride this afternoon. The betting suggests a close contest. PIECE OF POPPY has improved in her last two when running on. DESROCHES finished well last time and her three runs have been decent. Quartet inclusion!

1st – DONNA AMATA (37/10 JF) (1); 2nd – PHONETIC (37/10 JF) (2); 3rd –  VENETIAN GOLD (37/10 JF) (3); 4th - PIECE OF POPPY (4); 5th – DESROCHES (6)

MORPHEUS made a decent debut last time before fading late over 1200m. This distance should suit more and watch for improvement. MUMSY'S JET has placed in the top three on six occasions from seven starts with his only bemish having been a close up fourth! With form like that he must have a good chance of cracking her maiden this afternoon. DISCOURSE steyed on last time when showing good improvement in his fourth start. Do not ignore. REBEL ROCK has yet to show but could improve with Richard Fourie aboard. APRIL ROCK tends to be slow away. May improve.

1st – MORPHEUS (1/1 F) (10); 2nd – MUMSY'S JET (1); 3rd – DISCOURSE (2); 4th - REBEL ROCK (13); 5th – APRIL ROCK (4)

TOP JET, from the Mike Bass Cape Town trainer's yard, raced at this track last season. Showed improvement last time at Kenilworth. Could be the one to beat. Another Cape Town trainer, Brett Crawford, FUTURA is another horse with a very good winning chance. He has won two from three with a second to boot! Is still improving and should go close. WILD ONE is never too far back. Respect as he drops in class. COUNTS ROCKET makes his KZN debut. Cape Town trainers appear to be mounting an assault on KZN this season and with the Gauteng and PE trainers still to start send their charges, with the exception of VIA AFRICA and BEACH BEAUTY, the pickings for local trainers this season could be rather slim. CAPEL TOP is another Cape Town runner who should not be ignored. Takes on a bit stronger, but stable jockey, Karl Neisius rides.

1st – TOP JET (4/1) (3); 2nd – FUTURA (17/10 F) (5); 3rd – WILD ONE (1); 4th - COUNTS ROCKET (2); 5th – CAPEL TOP (7)

TEVEZ has had his problems but on his day could win a race such as this. Anton Marcus rides for Mike Bass. Has faced stronger, especially during the Cape Town Season. PIANO MAN could be a "mad" selection. I liked the way in which he finished and won last time. Even though Anthony Delpech doesn't ride this time, he has the services of Richard Fourie. Worth a chance. DIVINE JET has raced against top class A Divsion horses and he was not disgraced when finishing sixth behind VIA AFRICA last time. Has good Cape Town form but has run well at this track. BARBOSA showed good pace against weaker last time. Has a place claim. GULF STORM takes on stronger but has good form. Respect the form of Cape Town trainer and jockey.

1st – TEVEZ (357/100 F) (3); 2nd – PIANO MAN (7); 3rd – DIVINE JET (2); 4th - BARBOSA (5); 5th – GULF STORM (13)

It looks as though this race has Dennis Drier versus Cape Town trainers, just as it was during the Cape Town season. This could be the best race thus far of the Winter Season. The top class mare, BEACH BEAUTY, will no doubt make this her last campaign as the season draws to a close in four months or so. Her record has been excellent and she should have the beating of this field and her electrifying should see her home again this afternoon. She lowered the colours of many a Cape Town trainer during the Cape Town season and there could be efforts to lower her colours this afternoon. ALL IS SECRET is one of those. The Vaughan Marshall trained inmate ran a good second behind VIA AFRICA last time when in urgent need of a run. Should be a fitter proposition this afternoon. Should be a humdinger. Do not ignore the cahnces of the Mike Bass trained HAMMIE'S HOOKER who has had two good runs behind BEACH BEAUTY in her most recent starts. Stable companion, LANNER FALCON, has stable jockey, Grant Van Niekerk, aboard. Yet another stable companion, FLY BY NIGHT, has Anthony Delpech in the saddle. Looks to have more to find.

1st – BEACH BEAUTY (357/100) (2); 2nd – ALL IS SECRET (18/10 F) (1); 3rd – HAMMIE'S HOOKER (3); 4th - LANNER FALCON (10); 5th – FLY BY NIGHT (8)

ALEXANDER won his last three starts before being rested since August. He loves the track and a bit further but could score the shorter trip after a lengthy break. Another Cape Town trainer, but this time the horse is locally based! CANDY MOON has good form against stronger. Will be finishing well. WEEKEND TEMPER has been improving against weaker. Has a mountain to climb in this field but with a light mass and Richard Fourie, there could be a chance. Yard in good form. ASSEGAI has very good post maiden form but takes on a bit stronger. ZHIVAGO improved last time when returning from Cape Town.

1st – ALEXANDER (17/2) (4); 2nd – CANDY MOON (1); 3rd – WEEKEND TEMPER  (11); 4th - ASSEGAI (9/2 F) (10); 5th – ZHIVAGO (7)

BERMUDA ran a good post maiden last time, made that more meritorious when slow away and being baulked in the home straight. Watch as he could make amends this afternoon. Champion trainer, Mike De Kock, has only one runner on today's card. BOLT OF LIGHT could give the yard a 100% strike rate for the day. He ran a very good post maiden last time when being beaten by just over four lengths by his ever-improving stable companion, ILITSHE, who has won a couple of races now and looks promising. PECAN has decent form but may need to find more. NIGHT TIDE is holding form well. Should be right there. MODERN ROYAL ran well on Wednesday. Could make the frame again.

1st – BERMUDA (71/10) (3); 2nd – BOLT OF LIGHT (9/4 F) (7); 3rd – PECAN (10); 4th - NIGHT TIDE (6); 5th – MODERN ROYAL (5)

BEST BET: RACE 4 NUMBER 10 MORPHEUS

BEST VALUE: RACE 7 NUMBER 2 BEACH BEAUTY

BEST OUTSIDER: RACE 8 NUMBER 4 ALEXANDER

BI POT: (RACES 2 - 7)

PLACE ACCUMULATOR: (RACES 3 - 9)

PICK 6: (RACES 4 - 9)

 JACKPOT: (RACE 5 - 8)

CARD CHANGES REPORT CLAIRWOOD, Sunday, 20 April 2014 As at 20 April 08:29
Scratchings
Race No.	Horse No.	Horse Name	Comment	Time	Date Adv.	Advised	Captured
1	5	La Prima	Not eating up	10:30	20140417	W Badenhorst	Audreyb
3	8	Make Me Money	Injured near fore	08:43	20140418	Des Egdes	Arvinm
5	6	Golden High	No transport	10:11	20140419	Nicklaus	Barnesg
7	6	Torra Bay (AUS)	Infection Near fore	13:06	20140417	Dennis Drier	Cherylv
Jockey Changes
Race No.	Horse No.	Horse Name	Comment	Time	Date Adv.	Advised	Captured
1	12	Widgit	G Hatt	08:19	20140420	Justin Snaith	Justin Snaith
9	8	Caitlin (NZ)	* M Thackeray (-4.0kg)	06:26	20140415	Craig Eudey	Craig Eudey
9	15	Mythic Woods	...............	08:20	20140420	System	Aarthip
Equipment Changes
Race No.	Horse No.	Horse Name	Comment	Time	Date Adv.	Advised	Captured
3	9	Whoops A Daisy	Tongue Ties Off	07:58	20140420	Jeff Freedman	Aarthip
4	3	Supreme Leader	Blinkers On	08:04	20140419	Michael Roberts	Barnesg
Owner/Colour Changes
Comment						Advised	Captured
Race9 no.2 First Flight : Messrs P Foo-Kune & S Govender . Silver, red star and sleeves, silver						NHA	Serenam
armbands, red cap, silver star. ( Sold with engagement )							Serenam
Other Changes
Comment						Advised	Captured
Mega Net Pick 6 C/Over: R 400 000. Race 4 @ 14h05. Estimated Pool: R 2 000 000.							Barnesg
Maxi Net Quartet C/Over: R 119 004. Race 9 @ 17h00. Estimated Pool: R 800 000.							Sarishar
Maxi Net Trifecta C/Over: R 12 428. Race 9 @ 17h00. No Estimation							Sarishar
Duty Officer: Charles Bawden							Charlesb
Race 5 No 2 Counts Rocket will run with ear muffs on						F Greyling	Barnesg
Not Riding: M Yeni						S Parker	Aarthip
Additional Form & Changes
Race No.	Horse No.	Horse Name	Recent Runs
9	5	Modern Royal	C 712 20140416 (Y) MR74 2500m G Hatt 55.5 (65) A 11-14 3 2.5 Target Five 56.5 165.09 8/1 11/1
General Information as at 20 April 08:20
Weather Forecast:	@08h00: Sat 12: 45 - Sunny, mild - 0% chance of showers, 10-15kph East NE;
Rain 24 Hours:	Nil		Rain 7 Days:	19mm		Pen Reading:	23
Irrigation 24 Hours:	Nil		Irrigation 7 Days:	14mm		Track Cond.:	Good
False Rail Pos.:	5m