The Dominic Zaki-trained three-year-old gelding Bull Valley confirmed himself a serious classic contender when powering to an impressive victory over1200m at Turffontein on Saturday and is another sophomore who will be representing the good value sire Toreador.

Meanwhile, at Greyville on Friday night the Kahal filly Witchcraft took a step closer to a berth in the R2,5 million Emperor’s Palace Ready to Run Cup to be run over 1400m on October 31.

Bull Valley won his debut over 1200m at the Vaal on May 19 in impressive style and the yard then decided to rest him and geld him. The form of that race looked increasingly stronger as the season progressed because the runner up Nephrite won next time out before going on to finish fifth in the Gr 1 Premiers Champion Stakes, while third-placed Al Azraq won next time out by 8,25 lengths. Furthermore, there have been three other winners coming out of that race including the Silvano gelding Machismo, who won the second race on Saturday, a maiden over 1450m, to give Sean Tarry and Raymond Danielson the first leg of a double together.

Bull Valley was ridden by Craig Zackey on Saturday in a Progress Plate for three-year-olds and showed more than one gear when powering to a 3,25 length victory over Al Azraq, who is also by Toreador,  and he had a classy field spread out like the washing behind him. This race was a springboard to the Gr 3 Graham Beck Stakes over 1400m on October 31 and the Gr 2 Investec Dingaans over 1600m on November 28. He looks likely to be a leading contender for both races. Toreador will not only be represented in the Graham Beck by Bull Valley and Al Azraq, but also by the like of Bull Valley’s twice Gr 1-placed stablemate Prospect Strike, the promising Sean Tarry-trained Rikitikitana and the equally exciting Paul Lafferty-trained Unbelievable Chad. This could well be Toreador’s best crop ever.

Later on in Saturday’s meeting Zaki’s Australian-bred Leila’s Charger, who is being targeted at the Gr 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m on October 31, was all the rage in a Progress Plate for three-year-old fillies over 1200m, but only managed a disappointing 3,35 length fourth as Danielson took the race by the scruff of the neck on the speedy Tarry-trained Dynasty filly Swift Sarah and won easily by 3,1 lengths.

The exciting Mike de Kock-trained Ideal World filly Persian Rug, who was most unlucky when put off by the grandstand shadow in the Gr 1 Thekwini Stakes, made her seasonal reappearance in this race and ran on for fifth over a trip too sharp.

At Greyville Witchcraft was the most popular filly among the panellists at last year’s Summerhill Ready To Run breeze ups and lived up to her billing when running on to win a maiden over 1400m. It was not the strongest of fields but the scopey chestnut, who had made her debut only five days earlier, is heading in the right direction.

Anthony Delpech was the only jockey or trainer to score a double at the Friday night meeting.

By David Thiselton

Picture: Craig Zackey (Nkosi Hlophe)