Cape Argus

Be with ‘Twenty One’

- DAVID THISELTON

THE Vaal Inside track meeting tomorrow look to be competitiv­e at first sight but on closer inspection there could be one or two good opportunit­ies for punters.

The highest rated race on the card is a MR 92 handicap over 1 200 metres. Romi’s Boy is a progressiv­e son of Querari who has come to hand since being gelded at the beginning of the year. In his last start over this trip on the Turffontei­n Inside Track he showed good gate speed and pace and beat a decent field hands and heels by 5,75 lengths.

He is well drawn again tomorrow and can follow up off a likely capped merit rating, as he was given the maximum six for that last plate race win. Angel’s Power won going away over 1000m in her last start and over this suitable trip could be a threat from a good draw with Anthony Delpech up.

The first leg of the P A is a Middle Stakes event over 2 400m and B Twenty One will be hard to peg back.

She is a decent up and coming stayer going for a hattrick and is the best in at the weights.

Fortune Fella

She has a tricky draw, so for Pick 6 purposes Fortune Fella and Consequent­ially could be considered.

Fortune Fella is an honest stayer with a fair turn of foot and he could use the latter to the maximum from a good draw over a suitable trip. Consequent­ially is a well-bred sort who is only 0,5kg under sufferance with B Twenty One and is drawn in pole. She will be out to prove she stays this trip, having won well over 2 000m before, but having failed in her only attempt at this trip.

In the first leg of the Pick 6, a maiden over 2 400m, Town Flyer overcame a wide draw over 1 600m last time and only just failed to win. He looks to be a staying type. Barbados Cruise went close over 2 000m last time and his relaxed style of running should allow him to see out this trip, so he is the other one to put in the exotics.

The first leg of the Jackpot is a MR 80 handicap over 1 700m. Misty Roller showed his class last time when blinkers were applied for the first time and cruised to victory over 1600m. A maximum eight point raise might not be enough to stop him.

However, Raydaveric should be included in the exotics. This good looker has slowly come into his own since being gelded at the beginning of the year and looks to have scope for further improvemen­t. He is well drawn over a suitable trip too.

Dragons Breath

The 6th is a MR 72 handicap over 1 400m and Dragons Breath could be the one to side with as he finished like a train over this trip last time and has been lowered one point in the merit ratings. Analyse This improved last time over 1 600m when a slow start forced hold up tactics to be applied. If the same tactics are employed over this probably more suitable trip he should go close. Sideshow just failed over this trip last time and now has the favourable number one draw. Vulcan was narrowly ahead of Side Show last time and also has a good draw. El Bombero ran on well over 1 600m last time, but his last win was over this trip so he is another with a shout.

The 8th race, a MR 73 Handicap over 1 200m, is the toughest race on the card for punters. Dreamupona­dream has good pace and has dropped to a reasonable merit rating so could stay all the way to the line. William Nicol is ideally course and distance suited and has the plum number one draw.

Tokyo Drift is an interestin­g runner as he has been shown to have pace when blinkers have been fitted and the headgear is duly back on for this drop in trip. However, the risk averse should consider adding a number of other horses to their Pick 6 perms. The last is also a MR 73 handicap over 1200 metres and looks open at first sight.

However, The way we makem is an improving horse who goes for a hattrick and is only two points higher in the merit ratings for his last win. That win was over the too sharp 1 000m and in his previous start he showed that a high draw over this course and distance does not phase him.

Don Christo

The dangers could be Don Christo, who could use his excellent pace to overcome a high draw, and Pistolero, who also has a tricky draw but usually starts slowly before running on strongly, although he might be a touch high in the merit ratings at present.

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