Gunston ready to fire
Mike de Kock should open and close the meeting on the Vaal Outside track tomorrow where there look to be some fair opportunities for punters.
In the first, a workrider’s maiden for fillies and mares over 1000m, De Kock runs the Gimmethegeenlight filly Green Pastures, who will be ridden by Thomas Ncume, whose mounts finished in the money five times in just eight rides last season and he had one winner.
Greener Pastures showed good pace on debut over 1160m and stayed on well for a five length third to the exciting prospect In The Dance, who is a half-sister to Capetown Noir. The form looks strong and she faces an uninspiring field so will be hard to beat.
Noble Princess
In the last race, a maiden for threeyear-old fillies over 1600m, De Kock runs the Mambo In Seattle filly Noble Princess, who is a half-sister to the classy twice Grade 1-placed Noble Secret.
On debut she was slow away over this trip but then stayed on well for a close second. She was green in the straight and was flying at the finish so has plenty of scope and should be too good here.
The only slight concern is her low draw as high draws were favourable the last time this course was used, although over the last year the draw bias has been variable here so the earlier races should be monitored.
Another good bet on the card looks to be Rock A Roll Dancer in the fourth race over 1200m.
She has caught the eye in two starts over 1000m and 1160m respectively when second to Nafaayes, who followed up, and the exciting In The Dance.
The concern with her is also the low draw.
Truth Or Dare is a first-timer by Var and is a half-sister to the classy Control Freak, so she could be the main danger from a nice draw.
Dashuri is also interesting as she ran a good barrier trial over 1000m and made a fair debut over that same trip but has then tended to over race over 1450m to a mile since and will likely appreciate the step down in trip.
The fifth race is an interesting Assessment Plate over 1200m. The best weighted horse on official merit ratings is Bien Venue and his class should carry him to victory. He ran on strongly to win cosily on debut over this trip in May and followed that with two third place finishes to the champion two-year-old colt of last season Soqrat.
BienValue
However, Gunston, who was beaten 3,5 lengths by Bien Venue over this course and distance on debut, showed dramatic improvement with blinkers last time and will be a threat.
He showed exceptional natural pace in the latter race over this course and distance and cruised in without being put under pressure.
He has a more favourable draw than Bien Venue if the last meeting at this course is anything to go by and must be included in all bets.
The older horses always have to be respected against early season threeyear-olds and the honest Chapel Jive should make his presence felt.
He is 5kg under sufferance with Bien Venue on official merit ratings but the purpose of these assessment plates is to make it easier for the handicappers to assess horses that win their maidens in their first five starts as there is always a risk of overrating them.
In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m Patrol Officer looks hard to beat. He showed pace over 1160m last time and stayed on for second despite odds of 100/1. The form was franked on Saturday when Viking Trail, whom he beat by 4,25 lengths, came out and won. He has a nice high draw too.
The main dangers could be the Sean Tarry-trained pair of first-timers.
Wild Path is a R300,000 gelding by Pathfork out of a USA-bred half-sister to a Listed winner and is a half-brother to a Listed placed middle distance sort. S’Manga Khumalo rides him.
Palace Green is a R1,2 million colt by Twice Over out of three-time Grade 3 winner Queen’s Bay.
Craig Zackey rides and this will likely be too sharp for him but he could have the class to earn.
In the first leg of the PA Queen Rachel has a lot of pace and will likely attempt to make all. She nearly went start to finish over 1200m in her last run in early June and will likely appreciate this step down in trip. However, she might be gasping for air late and Sunburst and Crassus, who both ran improved races last time, can be included.
The sixth race is an Assessment Plate and Tsitsikama Dance could be another former Cape Town-based horse who runs well for the Fortunes in his Highveld debut over a suitable 1400m trip.
He was only 3,1 lengths behind Rainbow Ridge in the Winter Guineas and looks the one to beat.
Strawberry Pavlova is an honest sort who found it a touch sharp when staying on over 1200m last time and will be a big threat being the officially best weighted horse and running over an ideal trip.
Daffiq and Silver Coin both have some class and are distance suited but do appear to have their problems and Lake Kinnaret should enjoy the trip having stayed on over shorter in his last two starts.
Electromagnetic is the one to beat in the seventh over 1600m as he is improving and stayed on well over this trip last time for a close third and the form was then franked. Indy Ice could be a big threat. He was caught wide on debut over 1400m but still managed to stay on quite well, so with improvement over a step up n trip he will appreciate he can reverse form with Captain Hook and should be right there.