The Grade 3 Gold Vase over 3000m constitutes the first leg of the Pick 6 on Vodacom Durban July day, which has an estimated pool of R13 million plus, and is a tricky race to analyse.

The race is run under merit rated band conditions and fillies are given a 2,5kg allowance.

The best weighted horse according to official merit ratings is the joint topweight It’s My Turn, who is coming off a fluent win in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Derby over 2400m at Scottsville. The SA Oaks runner up Flichity By Farr is 0,5kg under sufferance with him, Let It Rain is 1kg under sufferance, Mr Winsome is 2kg under sufferance,  Sun On Africa and One Man Show are 2,5kg under sufferance, Cool Chardonnay is 3kg under sufferance, Hero Quest is 4kg under sufferance, Storm Warning is 4,5kg under sufferance, Silver Rose and Sheet Weaver are both 5kg under sufferance, One Direction and Forafewdollarsmore are both 5,5kg under sufferance and Eastern Pearl is hopelessly out at the weights being 16,5kg under sufferance.

However, races are not run on paper and in these staying races the handicapping is often misleading as some of the horses are still proving themselves over the trip and others have not even tried the trip before.

Johannesburg raider Let It Rain proved in the Gold Bowl over this trip that he was at his best when allowed to stride out in front. He opened up a huge lead in that race and held on. In his only subsequent start hold up tactics were reverted to and did not work so he is likely to be sent to the front in this race. The number one draw is ideal for his front-running style and assistant trainer Andrew Fortune reported him to be in good shape. He is likely to make a bold bid under Aldo Domeyer, who rides him for the third time in succession.

Flichity By Farr ran on strongly in the SA Oaks when held up and last time stayed on bravely for third in the Grade 3 Track And Ball Oaks when caught wide. Her time in the latter race was quicker than It’s My Turn’s time on the same day and she now has champion jockey elect Lyle Hewitson up.
Four-year-old Silvano gelding One Direction is a full-brother to SA Derby winner Seal, who won this race at this same age. One Direction won over 2400m in September last year at Kenilworth but then disappointed in the Settler’s Trophy at Durbanville over 2400m. He has been kept to middle distances since but in his last two starts, when staying on well over 1950m and 1900m respectively, he has appeared to be looking for this sort of trip.

Five-year-old It’s My Turn is the class horse in the race, being a winner of the Grade 1 Cape Derby as a three-year-old and having been close up in the July for the last two years. He likes to stride along so will enjoy a good pace. He was not stopping at the line in the Track And Ball Derby where he sat on the flank of the leader throughout the running. However, that was not a strong field and he was even better weighted in that race than he is here.

Sun On Africa ran just three lengths back in this race last year and this field is weaker. He is effectively off the same merit rating but unfortunately his 100 rating falls right at the bottom of one of the bands. However, he should still make his presence felt.

Mr Winsome ran a good second in the Track and Ball Derby and on paper has a chance as he is 4kg better off with It’s My Turn for a 2,25 length beating. However, he was hard pressed whilst It’s My Turn won easily. He is not the soundest type either.

Forafewdollarsmore was staying on when beaten 4,85 lengths by easy winner It’s My Turn in the Track and Ball Derby and he is now 7kg better off, so he should get closer.

Cool Chardonnay finished 5,9 lengths back in the Gold Cup last year from pole position and is now effectively 14 points lower in the merit ratings. Unfortunately his merit rating falls near the bottom of one of the bands, but he has shown himself to be in good form in his last two starts. Weiho Marwing is an outstanding trainer of stayers so this horse has to come into the reckoning.

Storm Warning faces Let It Rain on 0,5kg better terms than when beaten 2,95 lengths in the Gold Bowl and he won his last start over this trip on Turffontein Inside. This eight-year-old was a classy stayer on his day and is in good form off his current merit rating, so could earn.

Silver Rose beat an unlucky One Direction over 1900m here last time by 0,25 lengths and is 1kg worse off. He is a half-brother to Jet Master filly Razzle Dazzle Rose, who won the Grade 2 Gold Bracelet over 2000m at Greyville, but he still has to prove he stays this trip.

Sheet Weaver stays but has a tough task at the weights.

Hero Quest and One Man Show look to be up against it in this class and Eastern Pearl has a hopeless task at the weights.

By David Thiselton