The Vaal Standside course has a low key eight race meeting today where the highest rated race is a MR 88 Handicap over 1400m.
Craig Zackey (Nkosi Hlophe)
Forest Fox has become a consistent sort and is off a competitive merit rating at present. His number one draw might be against him, although at last week’s meeting on this track they were all going to the far side rail in many of the races, meaning the low draws were not at all disadvantageous. He has some class, is ideally distance suited and Gavin Lerena stays aboard. Refuge is a promising sort who is having his third run after a rest over the trip of his last win. He also has a low draw but Strydom rides him for the sixth time and knows how to get the best out of him.
Count Tassilo was beaten fair and square by Forest Fox last time they met and being 0,5kg better off is unlikely to see him reverse the form. On the plus side he is drawn on the standside and if this proves advantageous on the day he should go close. He tended to over race over 1600m, so this looks like the right trip. Bizjet had some good KZN form and is ideally distance suited. On his Highveld debut he found no extra from a handy position, but should have benefitted from the run. Hidden Agenda is a versatile type and will have benefitted from his last outing over 1200m. He has won three times over 1200m and also over 2000m, so this trip should be suitable.
Punters could get off to a good start in race one over 1000m with the speedy So Var, who hasn’t been out of the first three in three starts and has been running in strong fields. However, there are some interesting first-timers here and none more so than the Australian-bred Ancient Spirit. He is by top sire Fastnet Rock out of an Irish-bred Encosta De Lago mare who is a half-sister to the Gr 1 winner Holy Roman Emperor.
In the second race over 1000m Brave Mary also has plenty of speed and has not been disgraced against fair opposition to date, so she is the one to side with, although a lot could depend on whether her low draw is unfavourable or not.
Forest Fox ( JC Photographics)
Race three is over 1600m and the best strategy for the Pick 6 could be to include all of the previous raced horses with the exception of the no hoper Bidvee, The race could well be dominated by first-timers and the most appealing of them on pedigree is Jika who is by Jay Peg and is a half-sister to four-time winning sprinter Varumba and to the promising Rumbavar.
In the first leg of the Jackpot, Queen Anne, Momo and Charter Jet make the most appeal in a weak race and they should be enough to get punters through.
In the fifth race over 1200m, Last Girl Standing has a fair chance. She did not have much luck last time out over 1450m, but made up ground in eyecatching style in the straight. However, she ran out of steam late suggesting she would prefer 1200m. Indeed in her previous start she burst through and went close. However, she did become one paced late, so is not easy to win with and probably needs tp be held up for as long as possible. Therefore a couple of others, Burundi Bush and Pied Piperess need to be included in the Pick 6. They are both capable sorts.
The next race is a competitive 1000m handicap and a number of horses have to be included in the exotics. However, Just Africa is made the value bet of the day. He has a lot of speed and is particularly effective in fast going. He should get the fast going he likes and is off a competitive merit rating.
The last leg of the Pick 6 over 1400m is also a competitive affair, but the one who makes most appeal is Nephrite. This horse clearly did not like the blinkers last time and they are duly off. As a two-year-old he finished three lengths behind Rabada in a Grade 1 over 1600m, so has not surprisingly been knocking on the door off his current merit rating of 70. His draw is close to the standside, which would be advantageous by trends. Marco van Rensburg has ridden him in his last two starts and is back aboard, so should get the best out of him.
By David Thiselton
