Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Phunyuka looks up to the challenge

CHAD COOKE
There are two midweek meetings on the Highveld this week with the first being in the Free State at the Vaal racecourse today where the sand track plays host to a nine-race programme that includes two listed features, the R200 000 Highveld Sand Challenge and the R150 000 Queen Of The Sand.
The first of the listed features is the Highveld Sand Challenge which is to be contested over 1 600m.
Topping the weights in this contest with a hefty 61kg is the sand specialist Phunyuka, a six-time winner on this surface, but never over the distance.
This five-year-old son of Slew The Red is undoubtedly one of the best around on the sand but he has stamina limitations and it is going to take a masterful ride from Peruvian-born jockey Guillermo Figeuroa to get him home first, not that it is an impossible task.
Phunyuka enjoys racing from off the pace and if he does the same again here - and the pace is not too hot - he could record his first win over the trip.
Should the pace be on then Sayadaw and Alimony have winning chances.
Sayadaw has won four of his last six outings, two of them being over the course and distance. Sean Tarry’s runner was an impressive winner last time out when coming off a layoff and he should strip a fitter horse for this contest. He has drawn well and looks set to feature prominently.
Alimony has 58,5kg to shoulder today and could battle to reverse the form with Sayadaw who had his beating
by 1,5 lengths over 1 450m here two runs back. They meet at the same weight terms and the latter has a better draw today.
What could count in Alimony’s favour is that he could have more to come after improved runs in his last two starts.
The Queen Of The Sand will also be contested over 1 600m and should be as good a contest as the Highveld Sand Challenge.
Topping the weights with 60kg to shoulder is the sand specialist Sandy Beach who has recorded all seven of her career wins on this surface, but none over the distance.
St John Gray’s charge is ideally suited to shorter distances but she is a classy animal on this surface and has a winning chance. The horse that could be the one to beat is another sand specialist, Cinnamon Sugar.
This daughter of Fort Wood has won four times on this surface, but also not over the distance of this contest. Roy Magner’s charge has not drawn well either but jockey Devin Habib knows the filly well.
A runner that could be a surprise package is trainer Charles Laird’s Quality Alone, a daughter of Elusive Quality.
She has won four times to date, one of those wins being over the course and distance. She has also drawn well and looks set to make a bold bid for top honours.

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