Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Shalako thriving on the Highveld

Chad Cooke
It’s back to the Vaal for this Thursday’s edition of Highveld racing where the grass track will be in use for the nine-race card of which the sixth, a 90 MR Handicap over 1 000m, heads the bill.
The majority of races on the day are sprint events and are on the whole very competitive, the main event of the day being such a race.
A horse that is sure to be close to the top of the betting boards is the Clinton Binda-trained Shalako.
This former KZN inmate has been in fine fettle recently, winning two of his last three outings and placing second in the last of the three. The six-year-old Lecture gelding has also shown a liking for the course and distance and with 2,5kg-claiming apprentice JP van der Merwe in the irons, the gelding looks capable of recording his sixth career win.
Dianne Stenger appears to have a very decent sort in her care in the three-year-old West Man gelding, Challenger Quay. This youngster has had four visits to the track, winning at the second time of asking and following up with two placed runs in 1 000m sprints.
The gelding’s last run was against Shalako where the latter had the beating of the Stenger runner by a length.
Challenger Quay enjoys a 1kg pull in the weights tomorrow which will give him every chance of reversing the form. Also in his favour is that he is on the upgrade and is sure to have more to come. Jockey Francois Naude gets the ride again.
Another horse that has to be considered as a potential winner is the five-year-old son of Joshua Dancer, Mr One-Eyed Jack.
This four-time winner has not been at his best in recent runs but he is more than capable and if he can find the form that has seen him run the likes of National Victor to under a length, then he comes into the picture with a big chance.
The gelding has shown a distinct liking for the course and distance and his record on this track looks set to stay intact.
Of the remaining runners, Beat Patrol and Opening Night, stablemate to Shalako, deserve consideration.
Opening Night has the top weight of 61kg to shoulder but has some good recent from and even though the weight is sure to tell, this four-year-olds class could also tell.
Beat Patrol is a six-time winner but has not been at best in recent runs. He is distance suited and if he can capture anything of his best form he looks set to be competitive.

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