The Vaal stages a low key nine race card tomorrow and the exotics look the best way to play it.

In the first leg of the PA Favourite Model looked the winner last time over this distance on the Classic track when ranging up from a handy position but she then found no extra and was beaten 1,3 lengths, so there could be a slight concern that she doesn’t quite see out the trip. However, she has twice placed over this trip and is tipped to beat an uninspiring field. Oh Mercy Me ran a fair race over 1450m last time and was plugging on. She will improve and should enjoy the step up in trip so is another one to include in the PA. Pretty Border was scalped when beaten 2,8 lengths from a wide draw by Favourite Model last time but was staying on strongly and is also a must include in the PA.

Quattro (JC Photographics)

In the first leg of the Pick 6 Pidgeon Rock showed fair pace and stayed on well over 1160m second time out for a good runner up finish. At first glance he appears to be a banker consideration. However, Lazarus Tree hit the front close to home over 1200m on debut in April and was only caught late before fading into fifth. He was backed from 20/1 into 5/1 that day. He finished ten lengths back second time out over 1000m, but that was in a strong maiden field. He could be a threat despite not having raced for 77 days.

In the first leg of the Jackpot Quattro has been enjoying the winter conditions and has been showing pace and the ability to stay on. He has been knocking on the door off his current merit rating and is the one to beat. Wottahottie has won over course and distance before and drops down to this trip having been knocking on the door for a long time off this mark from 1400-1600m. Refuge put up a fair effort last time over 1400m when sitting behind the pace and staying on and off a two point lower mark is interesting over a course and distance over which he has won twice in just three attempts. Thewaywemakem was staying on well last time when beaten just half-a-length by Quattro and is now 0,5kg better off and Hewitson remains aboard. King Of The Delta had some fair maiden form and should be thereabouts despite having to carry topweight. Goa and Singaswewin also warrant consideration.

In the sixth race over 1200m Hideaway looks a fair sort and will relish the step back to a sprint. Stark caught the eye last time in his second run after an eight-and-a-half month layoff and should be a big runner here. Prince Jordan won his maiden well and off a reasonable mark should go close too.

In the seventh over 1200m Baahir is an honest sort who has been going close over his current merit rating. Huyssteen and Play The Night both have a touch of class. Huyssteen won when stepped down to 1400m and is interesting over a further step down in trip. Play The Night caught the eye last time when staying on strongly over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track in his first run after a seven month layoff and gelding.

The next race over 1600m is ultra competitive and as many horses as possible should be included. The tip to win it is Serendipity whose handy to front-running tactics are suited to the current fast going.

In the last race, a Maiden over 1600m, Supermax is a rangy sort with scope for improvement and he is tipped to win after making a fair debut over 1400m, but Camel Walk, Cinnabon, Shanghai Pierce and Belfry also have to be considered.

By David Thiselton

Vodacom Durban July hero Do It Again will skip the Champions Cup at the end of the month and have a well-deserved rest before returning next season when his first major objectives will be the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the Sun Met.

Jono Snaith yesterday spelt out plans for other big names in the stable: Oh Susanna will be rested before coming back to be aimed at the Paddock Stakes and the Met while Snowdance will also wait until next season when her targets will be the Queen’s Plate and the Klawervlei Majorca.

Do It Again (Candiese Marnewick)

However Elusive Silva, third in the July, runs in the Champions Cup. The owners of runner-up Made To Conquer are keen to have a crack at the eLan Gold Cup for which Strathdon and Gold Vase fourth One Direction are already intended runners.

Drakenstein racing manager Kevin Sommerville reports that Legislate, the 2014 Durban July winner, is to race on despite his flop in last month’s Post Merchants, explaining:  “He blew up in that race. Seemingly he wasn’t fit enough, so we are going to give him a bit more time.”

Fertility problems put paid to the horse’s stallion career and hopes were high when he romped home in a barrier trial. He then started third favourite for the Post Merchants but was tailed off, finishing some 18 lengths behind the second-last horse.

Miss Frankel, out of action since suffering a strained high suspensory when odds-on for her handicap debut at Kenilworth in November, is now back in training.

Avontuur general manager Pippa Mickleburgh said: “She was in work with me for some four to six weeks and she has now been back with Dennis Drier for a further six weeks. She looks amazing and we are holding thumbs.”

The Final Fling Stakes, due to be run at Kenilworth on Saturday week, has been put back seven days to July 28 following the postponement of the Highlands Stud Winter Derby meeting (which includes the Ladies Mile) to this Saturday.

By Michael Cower

Andre Nel, successful with Head Honcho in the July Consolation last Saturday, steps out Sharpe’s Eagle in the opening leg of the Pick 6 at Scottsville today where the colt should take to the step up in trip. After two modest showings in barrier trials, Sharpe’s Eagle has come into his own on the track proper, finishing close-up in two sprints which should have set him up nicely for his first crack over ground.

The son of Querari was out-paced late when trying to make all on the Greyville poly last time out but should much prefer this trip and jumps from a plum draw.

His most obvious threat is Dennis Driers charge Holy Land who finished with a rattle when fancied over course and distance last time out. He runs in blinkers today so it would appear that Drier thinks Holy Land is better than that showing show Sharpe’s Eagle will have to be on his game.

Gone Baby Gone (Candiese Marnewick)

Gone Baby Gone, a winner second run back for his old stable, can follow up in a highly competitive Natal Carbineers Handicap, opening leg of the jackpot. The race is a mine field with almost every runner in with a winning chance but after a somewhat disappointing Highveld campaign Gone Baby Gone has come good again for Glen Kotzen, making all the running to win on the poly last time out.

He faces a much stiffer task this afternoon but does look capable of going to the well again.

Verdier over-raced when tried in blinkers and ran out of gas inside the last furlong in a race won by VDJ second Made To Conquer and looks a threat. Mark Dixon has removed the blinkers and Verdier can turn in a better performance this time around.

Ballymaine has recorded all three of his wins at Scottsville, the two most recent over course and distance, and he has not been out of the money since being tried in blinkers by Ivan and Darryl Moore. He was a game fourth in the recent Track & Ball Derby behind, It’s My Turn who followed up on Saturday with victory in the Gold Vase and with a drop in class he is a must inclusion in all exotic bets.

With little over a fortnight before the end of the season, two-year-olds could hold sway in the Natal Associated Agencies Maiden where current two-year-olds Pearl Tiara and Targaryen Queen could hold sway. Pearl Tiara trialled well and carrier that form into her debut, made in feature company, where she finished close-up to Firdoas in the Devon Air Stakes. She was a trifle unlucky not to have finished closer as she found traffic and can make amends here.

Targaryen Queen caught the eye on debut behind hot favourite Charge D’Affaires and she has a pedigree that suggests that she will much prefer this extra furlong.

Nauticus was deemed good enough to make the trip for the Western Cape summer but the Drier string did not enjoy the best of seasons. He has had three races since his return and showed last time out why he had earned his place on the float to Cape Town. He finished a close-up fourth and can make it home in front in the Blomeyers Electrical Handicap.

But in another tough race Royal Kaitrina is due a change of fortune and should be right there again while Ronnie Rocket takes a drop in class and is over his best trip.

Valedictorian was a reserve runner in a tough Pinnacle Stakes race on July day which was possibly an indication of how Vaughan Marshall rates the lightly raced gelding. He was a good fourth in Graduation company at only his second start at Kenilworth and trialled well in his only outing this winter. He takes on some more seasoned opposition in the Splash Distributors Handicap but could have a touch too much class.

Finally, Paul Lafferty is one of the principal proponents of barrier trials and his colt Celebration Rock turned in an eye-catching trial that is unlikely to have gone unnoticed. The Australian-bred colt is likely to start favourite for the last.

By Andrew Harrison

Dean Kannemeyer is to have a crack at the eLan Gold Cup at Greville on July 28 with It’s My Turn even though he expects last Saturday’s DStv Gold Cup winner to again be shouldered with top weight.

Dean Kannemeyer

Kannemeyer said: “There is nothing else for him in Durban this season and he has earned his stripes for the weight.”

But there was no ‘we wuz robbed’ cry from the Milnerton trainer about Fred Crabbia’s five-year-old not getting a run in the Vodacom Durban July.

Instead he said: “I thought the horse had done enough to make the cut when he won the Track And Ball Derby and we were surprised and disappointed that he didn’t. But, that said, when the referee blows the whistle for a penalty in the World Cup one side is happy and the other is unhappy.”

The Durban Golden Horseshoe winner has not gone on to take the Premiers Champion since Argonaut 11 years ago and whether Barahin or short head stable companion Soqrat run in the July 28 Grade 1 will depend on the draw.

Mike de Kock said: “I will nominate them both but I am not going to run either from a bad draw. They are two very good horses. I said beforehand that I couldn’t separate them and it almost came to that on the line.”

De Kock’s threat to turn his back on South African racing following the way he and other Johannesburg trainers were treated by the grooms and their EFF backers last month sent shock waves round the world. De Kock is still stung by what happened and said: “I am keeping my options open but I am cutting my string down.”

Sean Tarry, who was also at the centre of those negotiations, combined with S’Manga Khumalo for their third Samsung Golden Slipper victory in six seasons and said: “Celtic Sea (who was hampered early overcoming a 13 draw) is a classy filly and I will nominate her for the Thekwin and see how she draws but I am not going to put her through that again.”

By Michael Clower

Jeff Lloyd flew back to Australia yesterday and he has left a hot tip for his legion of fans in South Africa.

He said: “I ride a very good two-year-old called Asharani at Ipswich on Wednesday and I expect her to win.”

Asharani is a newcomer and she runs in the Schweppes QTIS Two-Year-Old Handicap which is due off at 6.32am South African time. The race will be shown live on Tellytrack.

Jeff Lloyd (Candiese Marnewick)

Before he flew back to his adopted home the six-time South African champion relived his final Vodacom Durban July ride, saying: “Going down to the start I could hear the crowd cheering me. That was nice although I was trying to keep Made To Conquer as calm as possible because he was getting a bit stirred up and too keen.

“The delay at the start didn’t help because it was upsetting him and he was agitated. He doesn’t like having other horses around him and he tries to kick them so for the 20 minutes, or however long it was we were down there, I was trying to keep away from the others.

“When we broke the tempo wasn’t that fast. Made To Conquer is quite a lazy horse and it was only when African Night Sky came round us all that he started to concentrate and pick up well. I was going better than African Night Sky and I took it up early on purpose because my horse doesn’t quicken.

“I knew he would run to the line but at the back of my mind I always felt something would quicken quickly and catch him. Had Anton on Do It Again come at me later my horse would have found a bit more but he came to me quick and got a length up on me. He had a better turn of foot than me but mine ran his heart out. I couldn’t have asked him to run any better than he did.”

And the future?  “At the moment I am going to stop riding about the end of the season but I haven’t set a date yet. We will, though, be staying in Australia.”

By Michael Clower