Prince Of Kahal has the edge
THE Vaal Outside track had a draw bias towards the outside last time they ran here but the early races must be monitored in tomorrow’s eight race meeting as the bias has varied over the last year or so. The meeting does not look to be a difficult one for punters on paper.
The first leg of the PA is an Assessment Plate over 1200m and Prince Of Kahal is tipped to win despite being 6kg under sufferance with the filly Shufoog on official merit ratings.
Prince Of Kahal has been well regarded and has shown glimpses of class. He was unlucky in the Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes against some of the top horses in the country. He has now been gelded and this trip should be ideal.
Hakeem looks to be the Mike de Kock stable choice on jockey bookings. This disappointing sort has the plum standside draw in the small field of six and he could have benefited from his six month layoff, being a son of Redoute’s Choice who is now a four-year-old.
Shufoog has only had four starts but after an easy win on debut went close to the like of Just Sensual and Speedpoint over 1000m. She hasn’t raced since January but should get away with it over this trip.
Rule The Night is an imposing sort and won well last week, heralding a return to his best after some disappointing runs. If he can continue progressing the right way he can make his presence felt.
Mr Flood
Mr Flood was an easy winner on debut but then disappointed in the SA Nursery.
He will likely need this run. All About The Bass has impressed on more than one occasion but after a good win on August 16 on the Vaal Classic track he was asked to run at Flamingo Park four days later and after not striding out ran poorly.
In the first leg of the Pick 6 over 1200m punters should only have to include the two form horses, Las Salinas and Parental Control, and the blinkers-strike Landela, who has been supported in all of her starts and now drops back in trip. They can also consider two interesting first-timers.
Rudhra’s Eye is a R50,000 filly by the promising sire Pomodoro and is a halfsister to Grade 3 Godolphon Barb runner up Fly At Em. Over The Limit is an R800,000 filly by Twice Over out of a National Emblem Listed winner who has produced a Listed winner.
A first-timer makes most appeal in the next race over 1400m, which is also an uninspiring maiden.
Mike de Kock introduces Zaberjad, an Australian-bred gelding by Dawn Approach. He is a half-brother to the Grade 2-winning De Kock-trained Mushreq and would not have to be a star to win this race.
Of the raced runners Philos is a typically big and rangy son of Philanthropist and after overcoming the widest draw of all over this trip on the Turffontein Inside course last time out he was not disgraced at all in finishing a 4,2 length eighth as it has turned out to be a strong form race. He has since been gelded so can improve further.
Lunico was slow away on debut over 1200m on the Vaal Classic track and after initially being outpaced in the straight was staying on strongly, so will relish the step up in trip.
The form of that race is not vintage so It Must Be Fate and Ice Eater can also be considered for the Pick 6 and Jackpot.
In the next race the well regarded Pietro Mascagni is a shoe-in at the weights, being 6kg better off than any other horse on official merit ratings.
He should have strengthened during his seven months layoff and as he finished just 1,8 lengths behind Surcharge in the Gauteng Guineas he should be too strong for this field.
His three-year-old stablemate Viking Trail won second time out over 1450m and will relish the step up in trip so is the one to side with for those looking for an upset.
In the sixth race Winter’s Forge was well weighted in a 1600m event last time out and held on.
She will much prefer this 1200m trip, so can follow up. The best weighted horse is Rings And Things, who finished third in the CTS 1600, thus displaying her class.
However, she has been a touch disappointing since then. She is also drawn on the wrong side by trends and would likely prefer further.
Free And Easy has to be considered despite being 8.5kg under sufferance with Rings And Things on official merit ratings as she is an eyecatching sort who returned from a five month layoff last time over this trip and beat a good field.
The last leg of the Jackpot is a MR 66 Handicap for fillies and mares and Quebec Queen is tipped to win it from a plum high draw by trends. She ran on well last week over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track for second and before that ran a fair race against the boys.
Kissmeinmydreams
Kissmeinmydreams has improved and went close first time out the maidens against some useful male handicappers over this trip so she will be a lively runner here back against her own gender.
Get Your Grove On always looked to have promise and proved it when returning from a layoff to smash a maiden field over this trip last time. Against her is topweight, albeit off a reasonable 68 merit rating, and a low draw.
Rock Pigeon has useful sprint form recently and should enjoy this step up in trip on pedigree, so this lightly raced four-year-old can go close from a standside draw. Ponchielli drops back to the trip of her good win at the beginning of the month and also has to be included.
The last race over 1400m should be fought out by Virginia and Seville Orange, both of whom caught the eye on debut and will be distance suited at this stage.