Against The Grain will be hard to beat
THE Vaal meeting tomorrow is on the Outside track and the exotics look to be the way to play, although the earlier races must be monitored for any draw bias.
In the first leg of the PA over 1400m Eureka Effect has shown promise and being from the Stuart Pettigrew yard should now be cherry ripe having his third run after a layoff and gelding.
The most interesting runner here is the Mike de Kock-trained Anjom who is a big and classy looking son of the top Australian sire Snitzel, but he might still need another outing as the penny clearly had not dropped on the evidence of his first start and on jockey bookings his stablemate Naizak looks the yard elect.
Vontreo
The latter was staying on for close finishes over 1000m and 1200m in his first two starts and should relish the step up in trip. Vontreo, who went close on debut is tipped to splt Eureka Effect and Naizak as he made a fine debut from the widest draw of all over 1200m on the Inside track and should enjoy the step up in trip.
Owlinthetree disappointed last time but is another one to consider having been unlucky when staying on over 1200m on debut.
Against The Grain is selected as the best bet on the card and a Pick 6 banker in the first leg.
He stayed on well for a close fourth in the KZN Yearling Sale Million on VDJ day over 1300m and the question was whether the 1160m of the Million Maiden on Charity Mie day was going to be too sharp. He just failed after running on well. He has some class and should despatch this field.
The De Kock first-timer Lasair by Var could prove to be the main danger, being a R650,000 half-brother to three stakes winners.
The first leg of the Jackpot is the classiest race on the day, an Assessment Plate over 1400m.
Champion Jockey Lyle Hewitson will be aboard Aurelia Cotta, who looked to be going places after winning her first two career starts, both over this trip as a juvenile. She then became a touch disappointing but had a busy campaign as a three-year-old and her last two runs were fair efforts.
She might have benefited from a layoff. She is 1,5kg under sufferance with Dagmar on official merit ratings.
The latter finished a decent fourth in the Grade 1 Thekwini over 1600m last time out on Gold Cup day and this is the trip of her last win. Rock A Roll Dancer won well at the end of August having been beaten in two starts before that by promising sorts Nafaayes and In The Dance respectively.
She should enjoy the step up in trip and might prove better than her current merit rating, although she is officially 5,5kg under sufferance wit Dagmar.
Tamarina looks to be full of ability but has issues as she has not raced for ten months having had a five month gap between her first and second starts.
There is little between Rock A Roll Dancer and Crimson Royale on a line through Nafaayes, so the latter must also be included.
A lot will depend on how the draws are panning out on the day in the sixth race as Infamous Fox makes appeal but has a low draw, which used to be a disadvantage on this track. He is a classy sort who was inconvenienced by a tough draw last time out in the Charity Mile and he could resume winning ways.
Doosra at one stage looked to be most promising but then began disappointing. Blinkers have given him a new lease of life and his class is evidenced by his close third in the Charity Mile. He is a must include and so is Catkin.
The latter did well in first time blinkers last time and should be cherry ripe over an ideal trip.
Daffiq
In the seventh over 1600m Daffiq should enjoy the 100m step down in trip having found no extra over 1700m last time. This former De Kock-trained horse has had class and can gain an overdue third career win.
Classify was making headway over 1450m last time so is interesting over this trip and Lone Survivor, who has won three out of six career starts, should enjoy the step up to this trip and has Gavin Lerena aboard.
The risk averse can also consider the always dangerous Jubilee Line as well as Nordic Rebel and the big horse Visigoth, who has dropped to a competitive mark.
The eighth over 1200m is a fillies and mares sprint handicap, which are usually nightmares but there are three stand outs.
Ulla was not disgraced last time over 1100m to the exciting In The Dance and that was not the first time she had acquitted herself well against good types.
Rock Pigeon won her penultimate start when under sufferance and then waltzed in last time, so is on the up.
Madamoiselle is also on the up and now tries a step up in trip.
Che Bella and Nicky Noo can also be included in the Pick 6 as the former was highly tried as a juvenile after an easy win and the latter had fair form in the strong centre of Cape Town and looks to have a reasonable merit rating.
In the last race over 1000m Effortless is chosen as the value bet on the day and a PA banker as he has done well from tough draws in his last two starts over this trip. However, it is an open race and punters should attempt to go wider if able to afford it.
Seventh Son, Certifiable, Alex The Great, Nitro Charge and Moggie Brown make most appeal of the rest.