The Vaal has an eight race card tomorrow on the Classic Track, where the seventh event is down the straight over 1000m and all of the other races from 1200m upward are around the turn.

In straight races here the high draws are favourable by trends. Around the turn the horses tend to make a bee line for the outside, meaning low draws are sometimes trapped on the unfavourable inside going. Therefore middle to outside draws tend to not be much of a disadvantageous, at least for horses who settle well.

The best bet on the card looks to be Querari Viking, who runs in the fifth race, a Maiden over 1450m. He was the victim of a well documented incorrect upheld objection last time out. Previously he was defeated by 1,25 lengths by Sabre Dance over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track, but the latter had the run of the race in an event which turned into a crawl-sprint affair. Querari Viking has a nice stride on him and in his first ride for the powerful Mike Azzie yard has the astute Anthony Delpech up, who should put him in a handy position from his draw of two from where he can find the better going in the straight.

An interesting runner here is the Lucky Houdalakis-trained Rebel Baron, who was outpaced on debut over 1200m before staying on well. He is drawn in pole and might be dropped to the rear before making his run up the outside rail. The other Houdalakis runner is Aristocat, who certainly fits the bill on looks. However, it is difficult to judge how this Var gelding will enjoy the step up in trip as his full-brother is a sprinter, whereas his half-brother by Captain Al has won over 2000m. Aristocat himself  has been a touch one-paced over 1200m. Sabre Dance is likely to give another honest account, but Querari Viking looks to have more scope and can reverse form with him.

The highest rated race on the card is the second, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m. Myfunnyvalentine is a Gr 1 performer, having followed her excellent second in the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nursery with a close fourth in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion. In her seasonal reappearance she showed a fine turn of foot and won cosily over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track. Her class should be telling here.

An interesting runner is the four-year-old Horse Chestnut filly South Atlantic, whose Western Winter half-sister Hurricane Bertha won on debut over the weekend. South Atlantic won a fine race back in January when thrashing Runalong by 3,5 lengths over 1400m, in which she showed good pace coupled with a good turn of foot. Runalong went on to win her next four races, which puts the merit of that performance into perspective. As only a one-time winner South Atlantic gets 3kg from Hollie Point and 1kg from Myfunnyvalentine. However, she has only been accorded a 72 merit rating, so is officially 5kg under sufferance with the latter pair, who are the two best weighted horses in the race on official merit ratings. However, South Atlantic looks a sort who could rise above that merit rating.

The Mike de Kock yard always have them fit so she should get away with this 1200m trip returning from an eight month layoff. Another interesting runner is Hollie Point, who is 2kg better off with Myfunnyvalentine for a 2,5 length beating. Furthermore, she had to be dropped out that day from a wide draw before running on. She could get closer, but Myfunnyvalentine did win that race quite cosily and has probably come on from it too.

Champion trainer Sean Tarry rated Myfunnyvalentine as having an excellent chance. He added he expected a good run from De Nimes in the third, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m, despite her returning from a layoff of about a year-and-a-half. However, he expected the De Kock-trained Ektifaa to be impossible to oppose in this event. The latter is likely the best bet on the card but has not been chosen as such because the odds will likely be prohibitive. Last time out in May she duelled for a long way down the straight with Seattle Singer before being pipped in the final strides. The latter went on to finish an excellent third in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion against the boys. Ektifaa looks to have plenty of scope and being from the De Kock yard should not be short of fitness.

The Tarry yard could also have a winner in the last race, a MR 68 Handicap over 2000m, with Wild Horizon, although this does look an event to go wide in. Furthermore, Wild Horizon has to carry topweight of 61,5kg. Tarry confirmed the tactics on Wild Horizon last time out, when used up early to overcome a wide draw over 1800m on the Inside Track, had not panned out well and added he had shown his best form when held up with cover. A return to those tactics with a 4kg claimer up could give him a shout, although it would likely be wise to go wide in the exotics.

The most intriguing race on the card could be the sixth, a MR 72 Handicap over 1450m. Crowd Pleaser looks a decent sort having dominated a 1900m event on the Greyville poly last time. However, he was a November foal, so is not actually three yet in real terms and another question is whether he will have the necessary pace to dominate over this shorter trip, His penultimate run over 1600m at Scottsville when not beaten far by the promising Legend, suggests he does have some pace and he will also be running fresh here. However, all things considered, the topweight Street Flyer is tipped to beat him, one reason being he has the wily Piere Strydom up.

Another reason is the blinkers are off after he over raced over this trip last time out. He still ran a fair race in the latter event and so should perform better if the removal of the blinkers duly sees him settling in the running. A Greater Power has a chance here too, although Tarry was concerned about his wide draw as one who tends to over race and thus needs cover. Cherokee Grey has some fair form and can’t be ignored. Neither can Woza Madoda, who like Street Flyer has a wide draw, but if they settle they should enter the straight in a favourable position.

David Thiselton

Racing fans enjoy all sorts of different types of horse, from the brave front runners to those with a blistering turn of foot, but the sort which usually ignites the fervour more than any other is the one who drops the bit early, or lacks the pace to go with them, but still manages to win from tailed off positions.

The most famous example of this sort in South Africa was the mighty 20-time winner Sea Cottage. The Hong Kong racing fraternity must currently be wondering whether they have a Sea Cottage of their own in the unbeaten German-bred three-year-old gelding Pakistan Star.

On debut over 1200m at Sha Tin on July 1 at odds of 15/1 the Tony Cruz-trained gelding was slow away a length and steadily lost touch with the rest of the runners until he was tailed off by some six or seven lengths and was around 15 lengths off the leader. He made up ground around the turn under a calm ride by Matthew Chadwick and then extended in the short straight to pass the field and win going away by 1,75 lengths.

There was a buzz of anticipation when he lined up for his second start on Sunday at Sha Tin in a handicap over 1400m, with Chadwick once again aboard. He was clearly going to relish the step up in trip and blinkers had also been applied. The crowd gasped when he was even slower away this time, losing two lengths.

He struggled to go with them again and was soon tailed off by about three lengths and a dozen or so lengths off the lead. However, his finish was a carbon copy of his first race. Still last at the 400m mark, the crowd roared the budding hero home. He passed the backmarkers just before the 300m mark, but such is his finishing surge he was in front by the 90m mark and won cosily by 1,25 lengths.

The tales of the great Sea Cottage’s wins from impossible positions are legend and Pakistan Star is certainly one to follow having already caused a stir around the world in just two career starts to date. Ironically, Pakistan’s Star’s sire Shamardal , a four-time Gr 1 winner in England and France from seven furlongs to ten-and-a-half furlongs, was an out and out front runner. Shamardal is a son of “The Iron Horse”, Giant’s Causeway, who won five Gr 1s in succession in Europe as a three-year-old in 2000 and is now a sire of sires. Giant’s Causeway’s style was to either set the pace or track the pacemaker. A pacemaker was often put in his races by trainer Aiden O’Brien. Giant’s Causeway was known for his tremendous courage and all five of his Gr 1 victories in that memorable season were by narrow margins. Pakistan Star does at least seem to have inherited his father’s will to win.

David Thiselton

Duncan Howells’s raiding party leaves for Turffontein tomorrow where he has been allocated nine stables by Phumelela. “I have horses that I think will be competitive so we must go where the money is,” said Howells. “There’s nothing for them down here.”

In a departure from the past when he has sent up individual runners whose preparation has been overseen by resident Highveld trainers, Howells and assistant James Rich will be shuttling between Ashburton and Turffontein for the next two months.

Heading the string will be Saratoga Dancer and Ten Gun Salute, both entries for the Sansui Summer Cup, while a crack at the Charity Mile is also a possibility for both of them. The Charity Mile will be run on November 5 with the Summer Cup on Saturday November 26.

Saratoga Dancer finished fifth in the Vodacom Durban July and fourth in the Champions Cup while Ten Gun Salute finished mid-field in the July.

Both made their seasonal debut on the Greyville poly track on Sunday over 1400m, a distance well short of their best.

Ten Gun Salute ran on strongly under Grant van Niekerk to finish third behind Humidor while Saratoga Dancer was reported to be “hanging badly” in the straight and to be coughing post-race. However, Howells says that both pulled up well and will be on the float tomorrow.

Also among the raiding party will be Legend, winner of the Bloodstock SA Million Mile, who will be aimed at the Gr2 Dingaans, possibly via the Gr3 Graham Beck Stakes, the latter race to be run on Charity Mile day and the Dingaans on Summer Cup day.

In other Ashburton news, Gr1 Premier’s Champions Stakes winner Gunner has been taking it easy with his main mission being the CTS $500 000 Mile to be run on Met day at the end of January.

“He will have a few races before then,” said Paul Gadsby, “because he’s still green and the experience will do him good, but the CTS is his main mission for the time being.”

Also headed for the Western Cape season is Mac De Lago who is enjoying a lengthy break on owner Hassen Adam’s farm near Hermarnus. The Gr1 Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner finished strongly for third in the Vodacom Durban July and has been rested since.

“He pulled up with a bit of a joint after the July,” commented Weiho Marwing, “so I decided to give him a good long rest. I want a horse for next year.

“I won’t take him to Jo’burg but we will go to Cape Town for the season.”

The L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate will be his likely target while the Met is in the balance. “I think I’ll keep him to a mile. He has a strong turn of foot and maybe we were trying to go too far with him. But we will see. That could all change.”

Andrew Harrison

Iced Up looks the closest thing to a Pick 6 banker on a tricky Greyville card today where the exotic bet comprises five handicaps and a maiden event. At least punters who do take this advice will know their fate early but Dennis Bosch’s runner has fairly solid credentials and is likely to start at cramped odds.

After a close-up fifth from a coffin draw over the Scottsville 1600m she was well supported in the market to make it out of the maidens next time.

It was a close-run thing but she went down a head to Dressed For Success in a tight finish. She had the progressive Louella a neck back in third but more importantly Dressed For Success followed up on her debut win in a competitive handicap even though starting at long odds.

With regular pilot Alec Forbes side-lined with a bad leg, Anthony Delpech takes over in the saddle and given the quality of tomorrow’s opposition there shouldn’t be any mistakes this time around.

From there on it gets interesting. Olympic Power made a fair local debut for the Candice Bass-Robinson satellite yard and although fresh off a maiden win, Western Cape maiden form is generally stronger than KZN’s. He was not disgraced in a stronger field in his first start out of the maidens and if taking to the poly surface he looks a live runner.

Whenever Marco van Rensburg rides into town it is a sure sign that Weiho Marwing fancies a couple. Queen’s Quest on the card opener took to the poly last time out and can build on her close-up third while Pocahontas Girl is a possible threat to Iced Up after showing much improved form in her first run back from a lay-off.

Van Rensburg teams up with Marwing’s filly La Vida Blanco who showed major improvement when running in first time blinkers. She has a postage stamp on her back and should be competitive. Jama, Ruby Gem and Pure Valor are others to consider.

Maybe and Modernista look the principal runners in a tough third leg of the Pick 6 where the soundest advice is to load up as much as finances allow. Inga won at third time of asking and could improve further over this trip while Lowan Denysschen may have found the key to the feisty Zilla who will race with a sheepskin brow band for the first time.

The sixth is another competitive handicap but Redcarpet Captain has always been rated by his yard and hit form first up on the poly with a solid victory over course and distance in a strong Non-Black Type feature. He only got a two-pound penalty for that win and now that he has found his feet again he could follow up. However, he does have to give the speedy El Ciberano 12.5kg who along with course specialist Kingston Boy and Executive Power will make things hot.

The seventh and eighth are both minefields. The Chris Erasmus-trained Panza has come to hand these past three months and been relatively leniently handled by the handicappers, being raised only five pounds for his two recent victories. Last time out he was a close-up fourth to Bagger Vance at Scottsville and if he can repeat that showing on the poly he will be in the shake-up. Dark horse is Doug Campbell’s runner Var Du Bois. He is a gelding with obvious ability but also plenty of problems having only been out once this year and turning in the worst performance of his career. He is back on the poly and if he can find his earlier form he will also be thereabouts.

Gavin van Zyl sends out the filly Princess Analia against the males in the last. She is slightly down in class and has a big weight to shoulder but none of the opposition will ever get their name on a jam tin.

Andrew Harrison

The inaugural running of the R750,000 Grand Heritage, which will take place at the Vaal on October 1, will have a field of 28 runners maximum and the panel will be sitting down today (Tuesday) to decide which horses will be lining up.

There are currently 86 horses still standing their ground.

The field will be divided into weight tiers: Tier 1 will be 57kg and above, tier 2 will be 53kg to 56,5kg and tier 3 will be 50kg to 52,5kg. The idea of this weight structure was to allow owners of lower merit rated horses, who look to be competitively handicapped, the chance of winning some valuable prize money. First prize for the big race is R406,250. Second prize is worth 130,000, third prize R65,000, fourth R32,500, fifth R16,250 and R10,000 will be awarded to all of the horses placed from 6^th to 15^th inclusive.

The weights have been updated daily in the public section of www.sahorseracing.co.za and the long handicap at present stretches from Captain Aldo on 67,5kg down to the 36,5kg of Over It. However, the panellists will be choosing the 28 most in form horses, so there will not necessarily be an even split among the tiers.

The final field will be announced tomorrow (Wednesday).

The middle rail between the Inside and Outside Vaal racecourses will be removed for the big day and the horses will thus utilize the width of the two tracks combined.

There will be three other races on the day with a maximum of 28 runners and they, together with the Grand Heritage, will form the Jackpot.

The 28 runners will not be the biggest field South Africa has ever seen. In the days of tape starts the Durban July had fields of 33 in 1917, 29 in 1934, and 28 in 1937.

The old Auckland Park racecourse, where races were staged by the maverick Auckland Park Sporting Club outside the aegis of Jockey Club in the early 1900s, used to regularly have 30 to 40 horses charging down its four furlong straight.

These days big field handicaps are still a regular sight in England and valuable such races as the £280,000 Ebor Handicap, the £250,000 Cesarewitch Handicap and the £250,000 Stewards Cup attract huge fields and massive betting markets. They are popular with punters due to the attractive dividends a big field race engenders. The last respective renewals of the three aforementioned British races attracted fields of 20, 34 and 27.

Looking at the Grand Heritage entry list, Thrust looks to be a fair early suggestion to win. This lightly raced five-year-old Paul Matchett-trained Toreador gelding prefers running down the straight, packs an impressive finishing burst and in his last start, when finishing fifth in the Gr 3 Spring Spree Stakes over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside course, he looked to be crying out for further.

David Thiselton