David Thiselton

The meeting scheduled for the Vaal today has been moved to the Turffontein Inside track which will have a significant impact on draw fortunes because seven races which were scheduled to be around the turn are now down the straight.

The highest two races at the meeting are a MR92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m and a MR92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m.

In the fillies and mares MR92 handicap over 1000m the exciting prospect Manyelati has her first run since blitzing the field on debut in an excellent time. The Lucky Houdalakis-trained Danon Platina three-year-old filly has not been straight forward at all but possesses tremendous pace and the ability to kick on. She received rave comments after the race from Craig Zackey and although the connections would likely have preferred this race to have been at her home course she has at least drawn virtually ideally in four which should give her an opportunity to use her pace to get to the front. Anchorage has fine form over sprints and from draw three should make a bold bid. Alpine Jet is promising too but has a wide draw to overcome. Glastonbury had some eye-catching juvenile form but returns from a six month layoff and doesn’t have an easy merit rating of 99. Bright And Brazen could earn from pole position.

In the MR 91 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m the hard-knocking Francilien looked the right one but she now has a tricky draw of six out of nine. Daisy Jones ran a cracker last time against good opposition and can go close if repeating it. She now has a good draw of three. Last Car To Pass is distance suited and has a fair draw. Cape Saffron has been in fine form and sneaks into the handicap with the minimum weight but now has a tough draw. Arashi has useful form and is interesting stepped up in trip from a fair draw.

In the second leg of the Pick 6 over 1450m Grace’s Kiss won well on debut and was the tip to win this but she now has a wide draw to contend with. Opera Fan has the ability to be involved from a fair draw. Can’t Catch Me has a chance if repeating either of her last two and she has a good draw now.

In the sixth race over 1450m Hemisphere is in fine form in sprints and should get this trip, but he now has a tricky draw so will need some luck. Paul Revere is in good form and ideally distance suited, so looked set to be a big runner but he now has a tricky draw. Palace Prince also looked to have a big chance as he was not disgraced in a Gr 3 last time, but he has landed a very wide draw. Joost Droocksloot won a fair race second time out and has a chance from a good draw. After Hours can never be ignored over this trip and he has a plum draw.

In the eighth over 1000m Vannakam will make a bold bid from a plum draw as he went close after his maiden win and he performed against some good sorts as a juvenile. Victory In Orleans looked to have a chance but now has a wide draw. Queensland should be a runner from pole position.

In the last race His Lordship has good form and looked the one to beat but he now has a wide draw. One Tiger ran a good second last time and can go close with a repeat from a fair draw. Tiger Storm can earn if repeating his last start and he has landed a plum draw.

In the first leg of the Bipot Naretoi had some fair Cape Town form and made a fair Highveld debut so looks the one to beat from a good draw.

In the first leg of the PA Blood Of Eden looked the one but now has a wide draw and Into Dancing could now be the one to side with.

In the first race over 1200m Lilac Snow looked the one but now has a wide draw. Emerald Forge and Pleiades Star now look to have chances.

Warren Lenferna

Two performances at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth yesterday, Wednesday 26 November, truly caught the eye. The first came in the opening race, a Maiden Plate for three-year-old fillies over the quick, straight 1000m trip. Playing Trix, from the stable of Eric Sands and ridden by Craig Zackey, impressed from the moment the gates opened. If you look closely at Zackey, you might see smoke coming off his silks—he is currently in such scintillating form, and it is a pleasure watching him ride all over the country.

Playing Trix, a daughter of Vercingetorix out of the Visionaire mare Heaps Of Fun, is owned by patrons of the game who are as in form as the rider himself: the Werner family and Mr T. Gujadhur. She raced extremely green on debut, finishing with only four behind her. She clearly learnt plenty from that experience, as her second run was far more alert and streetwise; she stayed on cheekily to finish second to Morfeliha over the same track and trip.

There was market support for her, and as the gates crashed open yesterday, Playing Trix was off like a debit order on payday—never seeing another rival. She stretched away from the opposition and impressed. The favourite, Panjandrum, tried but tried in vain. The further they went, the stronger Playing Trix became, and she looks worth following.

Most were of the opinion that even if Mon Petite Cherie was only 70 percent ready, she would still be able to put this field to bed—and she did not let her followers down. It was a touch close at the line, but the win was perfectly executed by Richard Fourie, who knew exactly how much petrol was left in the tank. She moved up effortlessly in the hands and secured the first purse over a distance short of her best. The upcoming season looks very bright for her; she is talented, has top form, and should pay to follow. James Crawford, who trains her, is sure to have a perfectly planned route mapped out for the months ahead.

Race seven saw two form runners perform a little below their best: Showgirl and Gimmeanotherviking. Showgirl finished just over five lengths off the winner, with Gimmeanotherviking a shade over six. Both have shown they are clearly above average and must be watched next time—each is a nice horse who warrants respect. Call Me Secretwas the winner, showing she is on the up by winning straight out of the maidens. Lucinda Woodruff’s filly certainly looks to have a future.

RACE 1

1 LILAC SNOW 3 EMERALD FORGE 6 PLEIADES STAR

Preview: 1 LILAC SNOW Is knocking on the door and should get it right here. 3 EMERALD FORGE could earn if repeating penultimate start. 6 PLEIADES STAR has the form to earn in this contest. (David Thiselton 1-3-6)

RACE 2

1 NARETOI 4 KAVOMOLKA 5 THOONSIL 2 CUZZIE

Preview: 1 NARETOI had some fair Cape Town form and can improve on Highved debut. 4 KAVOMOLKA Improved when stepped up to 1800m and should go close from pole position. 5 THOONSIL has shown enough to be able to earn here. 2 CUZZIE could earn if repeating his best run. (David Thiselton 1-4-5-2)

RACE 3

2 BLOOD OF EDEN 3 INTO DANCING 5 MATTER OF TRUST 1 FUTURE SUCCESS

Preview: 2 BLOOD OF EDEN went close last time, but does have to overcome a wide draw. 3 INTO DANCING Is consistently thereabouts and should be right there again. 5 MATTER OF TRUST can be right there if repeating either of her last two runs. 1 FUTURE SUCCESS Is capable of earning if reproducing her best. (David Thiselton 2-3-5-1)

RACE 4

2 FRANCILIEN 8 DAISY JONES 3 LAST CAR TO PASS 9 CAPE SAFFRON

Preview: 2 FRANCILIEN Is knocking hard on the door and can get it right at last. 8 DAISY JONES ran a cracker last time against good opposition and can go close if repeating. 3 LAST CAR TO PASS Is distance seated and could be in the shake up. 9 CAPE SAFFRON has been in fine form and should be right there. (David Thiselton 2-8-3-9)

RACE 5

3 GRACE’S KISS 11 OPERA FAN 15 CAN’T CATCH ME has a chance from a good draw.

Preview: 3 GRACE’S KISS won well on debut and can repeat off a reasonable merit rating. 11 OPERA FAN has the ability to earn here. (David Thiselton 3-11-15)

RACE 6

8 HEMISPHERE 6 PAUL REVERE 2 PALACE PRINCE

Preview: 8 HEMISPHERE s in fine form in sprints and should get this trip. 6 PAUL REVERE Is in good form and ideally distance suited, so should go close. 2 PALACE PRINCE was not disgraced in a Gr 3 last time and should earn here. (David Thiselton 8-6-2)

RACE 7

9 MANYELETI 8 ANCHORAGE 4 ALPINE JET 3 GLASTONBURY

Preview: 9 MANYELETI blitzed the field last time in a good time and looks to be an exciting prospect. 8 ANCHORAGE Is knocking on the door and should be right there again. 4 ALPINE JET has plenty of ability and should be in the shake up. 3 GLASTONBURY has the ability to earn here. (David Thiselton 9-8-4-3)

RACE 8

1 VANAKKAM 3 VICTORY IN ORLEANS 6 QUEENSLAND

Preview: 1 VANAKKAM has plenty of ability and should be in the shake up. 3 VICTORY IN ORLEANS has fine form and should go close. 6 QUEENSLAND has the form to have a chance here. (David Thiselton 1-3-6)

RACE 9

4 HIS LORDSHIP 2 ONE TIGER 7 TIGER STORM

Preview: 4 HIS LORDSHIP has good form and is the one to beat. 2 ONE TIGER Ran a good second last time and can go close with a repeat. 7 TIGER STORM can earn if repeating his last start.  (David Thiselton 4-2-7)

Please note that tomorrow’s Vaal race meeting 27 November 2025 has been relocated to Turffontein, on the Inside Track.

 

The Vaal received nearly 100 mm of rainfall yesterday and remains waterlogged, while Turffontein recorded only 0.5 mm.

 

At this stage, the Turffontein Inside Track is raceable, despite rain forecast for today and tomorrow.

 

Voluntary scratchings will close at 11:30am today.

 

Race times remain unchanged.

 

Distance changes are as follows:

 

• Races 4, 5, and 6 – 1450m
• Race 9 – 1000m

David Thiselton

Pick 6 fever will grip the race going nation on Saturday as there is a carry over for the Betway Summer Cup meeting and with an expected pool of R5 million it will be well worth playing.

The first leg is the Listed Blu Voucher Carry On Alice Stakes over 1160m and Whistle The Tune makes most appeal. She proved her ability last time when coming back from a layoff of more than three months to win at this course over 1000m. She was beaten 1,40 lengths by Mia Moo in the Gr 1 wfa SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m and faces the latter on wfa terms here but she has an advantageous high draw by trends as opposed to the latter being drawn one and Mia Moo is also making her seasonal reappearance after a layoff of four months. Mia Moo does have Richard Fourie up though and as horses have been winning down the middle on the Turffontein straight he could make a plan from the low draw. Whistle The Tune is officially 3kg well in with Rodeo Drive, but the latter has come into her own lately and has a nice high draw too. Those three could get punters through, although Fatal Flaw can be considered as a dual Gr 1 winner running fresh over shorter from a nice high draw. Rachel Wall will probably be a popular choice as a progressive sort and she can be considered, but she does officially have a tough task at the weights.

The second leg is the Gr 3 New Turf Carriers Merchants over 1160m and the one to beat could be Truth. Now that it has been decided to stick to sprints with him he could blossom and he has a high draw under in-form jockey Serino Moodley. Quantum Theory has a middle to high draw and has been in fine form in sprints, so he should be in the shake up under leading jockey Craig Zackey. Future Variety ran a bit of a flat race last time, but he has a devastating turn of foot when at his best and he could bounce back here from a middle draw. Barbaresco gave Quantum Theory 8kg and a beating over course and distance back in January so can’t be ignored from a nice high draw, although he does have to bounce back from a disappointing Charity Mile run. Melech and Pistol Pete can’t be ignored and should be right there. The three-year-olds officially have tough tasks at the weights but African Pride looks to be one who could be going places and he could progress beyond his current merit rating.

The sixth race is the Gr 3 Ducat Africa Fillies Mile and a chance is taken here on Hazy Dazy putting her highly disappointing last run behind her and bouncing back. She looked to be a progressive sort and from a good draw might enjoy coming down in trip on this tough course. Littlemissmillion should not take much work being a small horse so she can return from a layoff to make a bold bid as she has made a big impression in her two runs which yielded easy wins. She has a big action and a fine turn of foot and will enjoy this course and distance. Those two could be enough for risk-taking punters, but beyond them it is a wide open race.

In the Gr 2 Betway Dingaans Jan Van Goyen would be banker material if he was at his peak, but he is returning from a four month layoff so that could be a bit risky. Tin Pan Alley has won both of his starts this season in fine fashion and the form has been franked by the like of the smart Atticus Finch. Chronicle King, Trust and Shadowfax also have the class to be involved.

In the Gr 1 Betway Summer Cup King Pelles is the Equus Champion Stayer but has a tremendous turn of foot and has shown lately to have the class to be effective over shorter trips, so he could be the one to beat. Atticus Finch is the defending champion but looks to be in the form of his life having made the rest of the Charity Mile field look like low division horses such was the ease with which he beat them. Madison Valley has also blossomed and could do better than last year when fourth as he is better as a gelding and looks to be improving all the time. Former winner Royal Victory can always be relied on to run a fine race. The Equator has been working very well and should be ideally suited to this course and distance as a big galloping type. On My Honour looks to have a lot of ability and could show what he is made of.

In the last leg over 2000m the ones to side with could be Field Marshal, Money Heist and Cape Eagle.