Vase returns from a lengthy break but comes from a very much in form stable and looks the part in the card opener on the Greyville poly tonight.
It’s a card dedicated to the lessor lights of the horse population but Vase comes off some useful Western Cape form and Andre Nel’s KZN assistant, Byron Forester, has his runners ticking over nicely at present.
Nel also has a knack of sending up horses to KZN that are well suited to the synthetic surface and Vase was not too far back to the well performed Ryker in her barrier trial.
Likely danger is Wishful Words, who was much improved with a tongue-tie last start and has come to hand nicely.
Louis Goosen has had a quiet spell of late but saddles a few with good chances this evening. Yaas could round off his year in the second where Anton Marcus gets the leg up. The filly is way better than her last two and the recent death of her owner, Max Naidoo, will make victory all that more poignant.
The Naidoo-owned Fleek could round off a Goosen double but she will have to get past Redeem The Gold who showed promising improvement at her second start. Sean Tarry’s filly showed up well in her two barrier trials and there should be more to come. Fleek is quick and way better than her last two and with a 4kg claimer aboard she could run them off their feet. Duchess Lane has a pedigree that suggest that she should prefer a lot further but she has not been far back in her first two starts and can still show more.
Brett Crawford’s filly Awayinthewoods has proved expensive to follow and was a beaten favourite at her last two but Marcus has stuck with her and she tries the poly for the first time. She may be worth another chance in the fourth. Biggest threat could come from Alistair Gordon’s runner Lewa Downs who has yet to finish out of the money. She was a beaten favourite last run but one of her best runs has been on the poly.
The fifth is an open handicap but Path To Glory is useful and lightly raced. She has had two outings since a break and did well in a strong field last time out. Miss Calypso has her third run after a break and has been up against slightly stronger while Mitra Music was a narrow winner when favourite last timeout and although taking on slightly stronger here but has a chance again. Girl In Gold has been disappointing but has not been far back at recent outings.
The sixth is a tough race with plenty in with chances. Ideal Duel made steady improvement leading to her last win and goes well on the poly while Laat Laamertjie is never far back and also goes well on the poly. Dark Chocolate and Red Al are others to consider.
The Grey Crusader is likely to set the pace in the seventh. He has a 4kg claimer up but is sure to be tracked by French Legend with Marcus up. There was very little between the two when last they met. Shine Up is a professional maiden but he took on winners last time out and his form before that was not bad and he has a chance in this line-up.
Marcus and Goosen team up in the last with Song Of The Forest and although she takes on males she is lightly raced and is in a weak field.
By Andrew Harrison
