The Vaal has a ten race meeting on Saturday on the Inside Track, where low draws tend to be favourable and there are some interesting runners turning out.
Joan Ranger (Nkosi Hlophe)
In the sixth, an Allowance Plate over 1800m, two horses with similar records, Samurai Blade and Deputy Jud, clash. Deputy Jud finished third in the Gr 1 SA Classic last year and followed up by finishing second in the Gr 1 SA Derby. This year Samurai Blade finished third in both of those respective races. Samurai Blade disappointed in the Sansui Summer Cup, but was out a few days later and cruised to victory in a 1600m race at the Vaal. He will be the most race fit of all of the runners here and will relish this trip. He has Piere Strydom up and the only concern is the wide draw in the small eight horse field.
Deputy Jud is a horse who needs to have things go his way and he has landed the pole position draw, which gives him every chance of producing his best. He has had one run this season so will be more forward than the rest of the leading contenders. At the weights Samurai Blade is only 0,5kg under sufferance with Deputy Jud and Cool Chardonnay, who are the joint best-in. Cool Chardonnay prefers further but running fresh here could be interesting.
However, a horse who is under sufferance by 4,5kg, The Centenary, is preferred for a top three finish. She has a fine turn of foot and as one who stays further she should give a good account of herself over this trip despite having not run since the eLan Gold Cup on July 31. She has good form over middle distances too so is the dark horse, despite being the only female and having to carry top weight. Top Shot is 12kg under sufferance but is course and distance suited and can’t be ignored for the quartet.
Deputy Jud (Nkosi Hlophe)
In the ninth, a Progress Plate over 1200m, Joan Ranger looks to be the best bet on the card, although she is likely to go off at cramped odds. She was slow away in her penultimate start when carrying topweight over 1000m in the Listed Gardenia Stakes, and that cost her a top three finish. Last time out she finished just 3,3 lengths back in fourth against some of the best sprinters in the country, a fine effort. She has plenty of pace and should pack too many guns in this field where she is the joint best weighted horse together with Heaps Of Fun. The latter would prefer further, but is effective over this trip and she is in fact 1kg better off with Joan Ranger for a 1,65 length beating over 1160m in April in the Gr 2 Camellia Stakes. However, Joan Ranger will be more forward than Heaps Of Fun, who is having her second run after a layoff.
The eighth race is an interesting MR 89 Handicap for three-year-old fillies over 1400m. French Legend looks to have a lot of class and is the one to side with despite a tough draw. Her last run in the Gr 3 Fillies Mile was a decent performance considering she was caught wide from a wide draw. Favour’s Pride was well beaten by French Legend in the Fillies Mile and is now worse off at the weights, but will appreciate the step down to 1400m and could be the main danger alongside the unbeaten All Over The World.
The seventh over 1800m is a tricky leg of the Pick 6, but Military Award does look to be a horse who can go places. He is drawn in pole and if he settles again, like he did last time, he can follow up on his maiden win over 1700m.
Punters should get off to a good start with Princess Aurora in the first, a Maiden over 1200m. She was clear of the rest when chasing a runaway winner last time over 1160m and looks to be improving. Piere Strydom is up from a good draw.
By David Thiselton
