Tomorrow’s exotics at the nine race Vaal meeting look catchable and look the best way for punters to approach the meeting.
The first leg of the PA is tricky and the consistent Shezahotti can be included alongside Gold Scent and perfect Storm who are two likely improvers over a trip which will suit. Of these three only Gold Scent has a fair draw so it is not cut and dried.
The first leg of the Pick 6 has two standouts, Wonderwall and Mardis Gras. They both have speed and class and are the first and second best in at the weights in this Assessment Plate over 1200m. How Does It Taste is a promising three-year-old but on official merit ratings is 8,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted Wonderwall so it should be safe to go with Wonderwall and Mardi Gras alone for the Pick 6.
Rings And Things (JC Photographics)
The first leg of the Jackpot is a Middle Stakes event over 1200m and there are three standouts in this race. Carbon Atom, Regal Graduation and State Trooper. Carbon Atom is a scopey sort who ran well with first time blinkers last time over this trip and won cosily, despite the narrow 0,3 margin, and champion jockey Lyle Hewitson remains aboard. He was raised three points but that still leaves him 4,5kg under sufferance with the best weighted horse here, Regal Graduation. However, the latter is the only female in the field and it is never easy to beat the boys. She drops back to the more suitable trip of 1200m. The last time she ran over this trip was in a minor feature and she was narrowly beaten by the useful Schippers with the rest of the field well beaten. State Trooper was highly tried last season after two good wins over 1160m and 1200m respectively. He was not disgraced last time when having to give the Grade 1-winning sprinter Van Halen 1kg and being beaten 5,65 lengths.
In the sixth race over 1200m Rings And Things will enjoy the 200m step up in trip. Her current merit rating of 80 is attractive considering she finished just two lengths behind Undercover Agent in the CTS 1600. The only time she has run over this course and distance she won an Assessment Plate comfortably and her rider for tomorrow Ryan Munger was aboard in that race. The most interesting runner here is Frankly. She might have taken six runs to win her maiden, but she either faced good fields or had poor draws and it is obvious when taking a look at her running that she possesses some class despite being on the small side. She is officially 2,5kg under sufferance but has a 4kg claimer up and this progressive filly should be in the shake up. Ouro finished just a head behind the promising In The Dance last time in an Assessment Plate over 1100m so will make her presence felt despite having to carry a big weight of 62,5kg. The progressive River Rafting made her seasonal reappearance in the latter race. She would have come on from the run and is 1,5kg better off with Ouro for a 2,4 length beating. High Seas Beauty was making late progress last time over 1160m and now has her third run after a long layoff so can’t be ignored. It is tough to ignore any of the others runners either, La Bastide, Pool Party Last Chirp, Distant Call and Boss Babe. There are three ways to play the leg, firstly bankering Rings And Things, secondly going with five horses or thirdly going with the field.
In the seventh race over 1400m Jameson Girl had to overcome a wide draw last time over 1450m and ran out of steam late, so could make amends here down the straight off a two point lower mark. Grade 1-placed Visuality has run well twice with blinkers on so should also be in the shake up. She was raised three points for her last run but is Grade 1 placed so is up to it. Big Bang Theory drops back to a trip she has a good record over so is another one who can’t be ignored. Inyanga would appear to prefer shorter but she has dropped down the merit ratings and has a 4kg claimer up so she has to be considered. Twelve Oaks is worth considering again in another attempt at this trip as she was bumped last time and did not stride out.
In the eighth over 1400m Lake Kinneret is the one to side with as he ran the classy Captain And Master close over 1450m on Saturday and the rest of the field were well beaten. Chepardo is ideally distance suited and off a lowered merit rating has his third run after a layoff. Sail For Joy beat Chepardo comfortably in the Grand Series race over 1475m last time when much better drawn but is 1kg worse off and this is now down the straight. Danza is ideally distance suited and must be considered alongside Changing Seasons who is having his third run after a layoff and should improve.
In the last race over 2400m Ezieza is a half-sister to the Champion Stayer Hermoso Mundo and having won her maiden well last time over 2000m she should relish the step up in trip and is only merit rated 59. Knysna Rose has placed in the top three in all three of her attempts at staying races and is back against her own gender here having gone close against the boys last time. Those two could get punters through.
By David Thiselton
