An MR 87 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m head the ten race card on the Vaal Inside track today and Movie Show is the one to beat.
The five-year-old Atso mare represents the flying Paul Peter yard and is in a fine vein of form. Last time she finished five lengths behind Alfolk over 1000m, receiving 3kg, and the weight for age Grade 1 Cape Flying Championships on Saturday could prove how good that form is because Alfolk could win it. Movie Show would also prefer this 1200m trip as she ran on strongly in her penultimate start to win a fillies and mares handicap over this distance. She is only two points higher in the merit ratings and goes well for Muzi Yeni. Furthermore, she has draw one which is usually the favourable side on this Inside track.
Paul Peter ( JC Photographics)
The main danger could be the consistent Shivering Sea, who has only been in the first three over this course and distance ten times in 14 attempts. She also has a nice low draw and Strydom is up. Takingthepeace has class but will have to bounce back to her best after a most disappointing run last time. Delpech has brought out the best of her and replaces JP van der Merwe. If she reproduces her best this big, rangy filly will go close. French Legend should beat Shivering Sea on the form of their last meeting when she bounced back to her best over 1160m, but her high draw might be against her. Let It Flow was Grade 2-placed as a two-year-old over 1400m and she returns to the course and distance of her only win, so can also be involved.
The best bet on the card could be Fragrant Miss in the fourth race over 1700m, provided she settles early. Last time over 1600m she was a bit keen early, but was still unlucky not to finish third as she was cramped in the closing stages. She is strengthening and improving and if she relaxes early she should turn it on the closimg stages and emerge winner. The back ups are the consistent Tigerlace and Gottalottaluv, who has been runner up in all three starts from 1400-1800m and Strydom stays aboard.
The value bet of the day is Coriander Queen over 1700m in the fifth and this is based on the hope that she settles better than she did last time. She might not have liked racing under the lights then, but still turned it on in the early stages of the straight in that 2000m contest. She now has a plum draw and on the evidence of that last run will relish the step down to 1700m, so off a merit rating lowered five points should go close. Rose Water is beat her last time by 2,75 lengths and is now 2kg worse off, but she does have another tough draw to overcome. However, she ran on well in that last 2000m race and is also effective over this trip.
In the next race the good-looking Loyal Lieutenant is interesting in his first outing as a gelding and stepped up to 2000m. He looks to be a classy sort in the making and was not disgraced when setting the pace in the Dingaans. However, it is an open race and Alssakhra will go close too. Arlington, American Indian and Forafewdollarsmore also have to be included.
In the next race over 1000m Pillaroftheearth is a well regarded sort who has his third run as a gelding, having not been disgraced against two fair sorts in his last two starts. He can fight it out with Manx Park and Like Astair.
In the eight race Fort Vodka caught the eye in her maiden win over 1200m and the form has been franked so she can go in off just a 72 merit rating, although Ninjara and Nightmare look capable of winning too.
By David Thiselton
