The Vaal Outside track has a ten race meeting tomorrow and their look to be a few opportunities for punters and exotic players.

An MR 84 Handicap over 1600m is the highest rated race and the value bet of the day runs here, Notting Hill. This is a striking looking horse who now has his third run on the Highveld since moving up with the Dorrie Sham yard from Port Elizabeth. He faced a stronger field last time over 1700m and put up a bold display from the front before fading late. He would have come on from the run, will appreciate the slight step down in trip and is effectively two points lower in the merit ratings. He has a plum draw of 14 out of 14 by trends on this course. The three-year-old Ghost Town was a facile winner of his second start over this trip and could be anything, so his merit rating of 83 is reasonable and it would be no surprise to see him following up from a fair draw of eleven. Zerodarkthirty has some eyecatching form and was running on strongly in his first attempt at this trip last time in the Egoli Mile. However, he is drawn on the wrong side by trends. Those three are taken to get punters through the exotics and Notting Hill could represent good each-way value.

Baahir

The best bet on the card could be Sirtain in the seventh, a MR 80 handicap over 1000m. This four-year-old Australian-bred by Not A Single Doubt started his career with two ordinary runs, but blinkers then turned him around and, after winning his maiden by 4,1 lengths, he won a handicap last time cosily. Both of his wins have been over this trip and he still looks to be learning so has plenty of scope for further improvement. However, Baahir has been knocking on the door since relocating to the Highveld with the Sham yard and from a high draw has a shout. Copper Jay disappointed last time in a minor feature but if bouncing back to the form of his maiden win could be a threat from the stands rail draw.

The meeting starts off with an interesting maiden as the R1,6 million Fort Wood colt Carbon Atom steps out. He is out of the speedy sprint-miler type Welwitschia so should have speed and is from the yard of national champion trainer Sean Tarry. However, a low draw is against him. My Boy Caloi could be the value here because on debut over 1200m he was tailed off last at one stage but then ran on well for a fair 4,15 length fifth to Affranchi. A low draw is also against him.

In the second Awayinthewoods caught the eye on debut and is drawn on the right side so will go close.

In the third Words stayed on well last time over 1600m and should be thereabouts from a high draw. However, Tortola should be included in the PAas she stayed on well last time over 1800m and the form has been franked.

In the fourth over 1600m Nuntius Oratorion has plenty of scope and this rangy type has a fair draw so should be doing his best work late.

In the sixth, Melinda’s Garden is a striking looker, being a big and athletic filly and as she looks to have found her niche over 1400m she can follow up on her last win.

The last two legs of the Pick 6 are tough but Some Song and Alphamikefoxtrot are the ones given the vote, although Picture Me will likely give a lot of cheek.

By David Thiselton

Surcharge, who beat all except the brilliant Hong Kong-bound Monks Hood in the Gauteng Guineas at the beginning of the month, is 28-10 favourite for Saturday week’s SA Classic despite being drawn widest of all.

Surcharge (JC Photographics)

But Royal Crusade, only a quarter of a length further back, is 11-2 with World Sports Betting to add to Mike de Kock’s fine record in the Classic. He won it with the great Horse Chestnut in 1999, Greys Inn (2004), Forest Path (2009) and Heavenly Blue last year. He has five others still in the race – 7-1 chance Noble Secret who was fourth in the Guineas, Like A Panther (8-1), Yakeen (16-1), Pietro Mascagni (25-1) and 33-1 shot Alshibaa.

Favourites have won two of the last four runnings and six of the last 16. Only three times during this period has the winner started at longer than 10-1. Kings Gambit sprang a 40-1 shock ten years ago, the Mike Bass-trained English Garden was a 16-1 chance in 2011 and Love Struck scored at 22-1 for Paul Lafferty in 2013.

De Kock’s Gauteng Fillies Guineas winner Takingthepeace is 9-2 joint second favourite with runner-up and stable companion Silver Thursday for the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic. Since Ipi Tombe scored at odds-on in 2002 de Kock has won the race five times, most recently with Orchid Island 12 months ago.

Favourite at 4-1 is the Paul Peter-trained Folk Dance who also started favourite for the Fillies Guineas but finished only fourth after over-racing early and being caught wide. Gavin Lerena said he felt there was something amiss with her and the course vet reported the filly in post-race distress.

Favourites have won six of the last 16 runnings but only twice during that period has the winner started at longer than 12-1 – Spiced Gold was a 40-1 chance when she dead-heated with Here To Win in 2010 and two years ago Juxtapose started at 50-1.

By Michael Clower

The Greyville polytrack meeting today is headed by an MR80 Handicap over 1000m, which is the first leg of the Pick 6.

The big six-year-old chestnut gelding Big King’s effective 16 point drop in the merit ratings since his last win was due to a sequence of five poor runs on the Highveld. However, his record shows he much prefers running around the turn and in 15 starts at Greyville has only once failed to earn a cheque. He strode out well in a recent barrier trial and looked well, so with Anton Marcus up from a plum draw of four can win despite a layoff since last July. On Your Life beat Yaas in November over course and distance by 2,9 lengths and is now effectively 2,5kg better off if weight for age changes are taken into account.

Anton Marcus

Winter Blues is an improving son of What A Winter who has won his last three and well drawn. However, he is not the biggest and must shoulder 60,5kg. His stablemate Yaas is a speedy three-year-old filly who jumps from pole with a 4kg claimer up, but running against older males is not going to be easy. Panza has a chance on a favourable weight turnaround with Winter Blues, but that was at his favourite Scottsville track. They are selected in the order mentioned.

The meeting opens with a fascinating Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1200m. Lateral filly Bequia put up one of the most eye-catching recent barrier trials, displaying a big action, quickening well and being kept on a tight hold. Torbenite won that trial and displayed good gatespeed and a nice daisy cutting action. Arianos Shadow is a strongly built Querari filly who digs her toe in and she won her barrier trial over 1000m on the poly in a time 1,84 seconds faster than Torbenite’s. Cashmere Mist is a slightly built but rangy Philanthropist filly who stayed on well for second in her trial, but looks to need further. Easy Ginger strode out well in her trial. Of those to have raced Miss Calypso is also a strongly built Querari filly and after a fair barrier trial showed good natural pace over 1200m at Scottsville on soft ground and quickened well before finding no extra late and finishing second. However, the vote goes to Bequia.

In the second over 1200m Majestic Mary, an impressive daughter of Dynasty, took a keen hold when restrained over 1000m last time, but finished strongly from last for second and now from a better draw she will hopefully settle better and run on to win under Marcus.

Marcus can win the fourth too o the King Of Random, whose handy-running on style is suited to the pole position draw he has.

Fonteyn should relish the 1800m trip of the fifth.

Sunny Bill Du-Toy was caught wide on debut, but looks a nice type and is selected to win the sixth.

Champenois is tipped to win the seventh and Under The Stars is selected for the last, although the wide draw is a concern.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford’s SA Champions Season string have arrived at Summerveld and look to have traveled well.

He said the big horse Captain America, winner of last season’s Grade 1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge and second in the Grade 1 Champions Cup, would likely go the same route as last year and thus avoid the Vodacom Durban July. He said, “I think it’s just too far and he will have too much weight, so rather stick to the weight for ages.” Therefore, Captain America will likely start in the Grade 2 IOS Drill Hall Stakes over 1400m on Champions Season opening night, a race he finished a narrow fifth in last year. This twice weight for age Grade 1-winning seven-year-old Captain Al gelding has shown no sign of slowing down and has earned a cheque in every one of his last 21 starts.

Sail South (Liesl King)

Sail South, who scored his sole career Grade 1 when winning the Champions Cup last year, will go the same route as Captain America again. However, he will not be receiving 2kg from the latter this year in the Champions Cup as he will now have to carry a 2kg Grade 1 penalty.

An interesting inclusion in the string is Rabada, a twice Grade 1 winner, who has not raced since November 2016, when finishing second last in the Peermont Emperor’s Palace Charity Mile. He has been out with an injury and Crawford said, “He is on the road back, but has not had any major gallops yet, so it is a long road back. But he is doing fine.” Crawford said he would likely nominate Rabada for the July.

His two best three-year-olds, Undercover Agent and White River, are with the string. The former is coming off a fine win in the US$500,000 CTS Mile on Sun Met day. This Captain Al colt will be aimed at the Grade 2 Daisy Guineas on Champions Season opening night on May 4. Crawford has his doubts about him staying the 2000m of the Grade 1 Daily News 2000. However, the latter race will be the target of Trippi colt White River, who stayed on in eye-catching style for a half-a-length second in the Grade 1 Cape Guineas. He then disappointed when starting favourite for the Grade 1 Investec Cape Derby over 2000m. However, middle distances look to be his game and he should be improving all the time. He will also run in the Daisy Guineas.

Crawford has gone close in the Grade 1 Tsogo Sun Sprint in two of the last three seasons, finishing second with Gulf Storm in 2015 and second with Search Party last year. The latter, a five-year-old Captain Al gelding, appears to love Scottsville, not surprisingly as he has good early pace and a telling kick. He will be a strong contender for Crawford again this year. However, if the recent six point across the board merit rating raise is taken into account, he is off a merit rating which is four points higher than the one he ran off in last year’s Tsogo Sun, so he is going o have his work cut out.

Sunset Eyes (Candiese Marnewick)

Crawford will also be targeting Sunset Eyes at the Tsogo Sun. This four-year-old Western Winter gelding has won his last four races in KZN, including his last three over the 1200m Tsogo Sun Sprint distance. Two of those last three wins were at Scottsville, so he will have a shout if he manages to get in with a low weight. His current merit rating of 98 includes the obligatory six point raise, so he will likely need to perform well again before the big date on May 26 to ensure a berth.

Crawford could also have a big two-year-old runner at the Festival Of Speed meeting on May 26 in the form of the Australian-bred two-year-old Snitzel colt Traces, who romped to an impressive victory on Sun Met day in the Listed Tattersalls Summer Juvenile Stakes over 1000m.

Crawford had a fine SA Champions Season last year, winning four Grade 1s with four different horses, Captain America, Sail South, Edict Of Nantes and Lady Of The House. The latter pair were both owned by the beleaguered Mayfair Speculators so will not be campaigning for the yard this Champions Season. However, assistant trainer Peter Muscatt will once again be taking care of the string, so the ingredients are there for another fine campaign.

By David Thiselton

Brett Crawford has decided against keeping his CTS 1600 winner Undercover Agent in Cape Town for the Winter Series and has sent him to Durban.

Crawford said: “He is the sort to find his feet as he gets older and matures, and I think Greyville will suit him. He will run in the Byerley Turk on Sunday week and then go for the Daisy Guineas.”

Professor Brian

Kenilworth Racing has increased its number of charity racemeetings from four to 13 and Clinton Theys, a key member of the events team, points out that the reasoning behind the increase is not purely benevolent.

He said: “I am convinced that we can get more people interested in racing – and so increase attendances – and charity meetings have proved to be a good way of getting new people to the races.”

Grant Knowles, encouraged by the success of last Thursday’s Horses In Training Sale in the Kenilworth parade ring, intends staging more such sales.

He said: “People there told me that it was a great idea as, at the moment, there are few sales where people can turn over horses and we had a great turn out. There was seating for 120 but still some people had to stand.

“But you have got to have a couple of good ones in the catalogue to generate interest. It won’t work if such sales prove to be just a dumping ground.”

The 1400m Progress Plate at Kenilworth on Saturday has been scrapped as it attracted only four runners, three of them trained by Candice Bass-Robinson. However the Fillies Progress Plate over the same trip stands even though only six have been declared, half of them trained by Mrs Robinson. Justin Snaith (2) and Vaughan Marshall are the only other trainers represented in the race. The first of what is now a seven-race card is due off at 12.05pm

In-form Richard Fourie forsakes the meeting to take nine rides at Turffontein including the Mike de Kock-trained Dame Eleanor in the Sycamore Sprint and Professor Brian for Joey Ramsden in the Senor Santa Stakes.

By Michael Clower