Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Ra Ra Ra at Scottsville on Wednesday

David Thiselton
The Scottsville meeting on Wednesday should be held on fast ground with the heat having been relentless over the last few days.
The Dennis Drier yard hit good form on Saturday night with two wins and a second and tomorrow sees the return of their promising unbeaten Var filly, Val De Ra, who runs in the eighth, a Graduation Plate over 1 100m.
With more luck last season she would have gone into the Grade 1 Golden Slipper for two-year-old fillies on Vodacom Durban July day as one of the favourites after lowering the colours of My Kazzie at Greyville over 1 300m. However, she bled in that start and had to undergo a compulsory three month suspension.
She has been back in work for a while, but the yard battled to find a race for her, hence the eventual eight month break. Stuart Ferrie, the yard assistant, said, "She should be too good for them, I hope’’. On debut Val De Ra thrashed the Mike de Kock-trained Raihana, who has subsequently won in Dubai and been described by de Kock as “top class.’’
Drier's only other runner on the night is Kanevaro, who won a good race at Greyville last time that has been franked by the runner up, Indecent Obsession, who has won twice since. Kanevaro therefore faces Indecent Obsession on 2,5kg better terms despite having beaten him by 1,5 lengths. However, the yard warned that Kanevaro “might just need it” after his three month break. Another interesting runner on the card is the De Kock-trained Gibson Girl, who went close on debut in a Workrider's Maiden over 1 200m and now runs in a Fillies and Mares Maiden over 1 600m. Although her second didn’t come in the strongest of fields, Nathan Kotzen, assistant to De Kock, felt that Gibson Girl would relish the step up to 1 600m. Knocking on the door Kotzen felt that Gibson Girl only had one horse to beat, the Glen Puller-trained Jonquil, who put up a fair effort when stepped up to 1 400m last time at Greyville, finishing second to Xilomante. She beat Maphiko in that race and the latter has won since.
The Mark Dixon-trained Groovy Day has been knocking on the door and lost narrowly at odds-on last time over course and distance, so can't be ignored.
Kotzen said that Riyal, who runs in the fifth, a MR 72 Handicap over 1600m, might have seemed a bit disappointing to some, but had done little wrong. She is tried with first-time blinkers. However, Kotzen felt that his brother Glen’s horse, Vilayet, would be the one to beat. Vilayet pulled for her head for most of the trip last time out in a MR 81Handicap over course and distance, yet still managed to just get up and win. From a draw of six in a much bigger field she could find cover this time and if she does she could be hard to beat off just a two point higher merit rating. Kotzen felt that Alkhansaa would prefer a bit of cut in the ground and would need further and was also at a loss to understand the merit rating the Handicapper had lumped her with after an easy win in a weak Maiden. The Colin Scott-trained Prince Of Cannes runs in the ninth, a MR68 Handicap over 1 400m, having caught the eye when beating Pegasus Legacy over 1 200m at Clairwood last time in his maiden win. Pegasus Legacy has since won impressively, so Prince Of Cannes must have a shout from a good draw. The Bart Rice-trained Western Gem beat Prince Of Cannes in his maiden in his penultimate start over 1 000m before not being disgraced first time out the maidens over 1 200. Back to 1 000m in the seventh, a MR 70 Handicap, he must have a chance, although the Alyson Wright-trained Kahal Street and the Dixon-trained Modern Express could be the two to beat.

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