Exotics look attractive at the Vaal
THE early races at the Vaal offer some fair opportunities for punters tomorrow but the exotics also look attractive as some races have bankers and others can be played narrow.
In the first race, a workrider’s maiden over 1600m, the Bold Silvano colt Major Return stayed on well on debut over 1450m after being dropped out from a wide draw and he was only 3,15 lengths behind Big Voice Jack.
The winner and runner up went on to win their next races, whilst the thirdplaced horses has finished runner up in both of bis subsequent starts so the form looks good and he should relish the step up in trip.
He hasn’t run since June 24 but is well drawn and has the good workrider Goodman Dadamisi aboard.
Rockstar Child and Royal Pursuit are both exposed but have the form to be a threat.
In the next race the big Philanthropist filly Virginia should make amends for her unplaced run as hot favourite over 1400m last time.
Step up
She did not have the best of luck in that race and was still green. She will relish the step up in trip and Raymond Danielson will know her well by now.
She looks to have the beating of the raced horses so the biggest threat could come from the first-timer Sixth Form.
She is a R130,000 National yearling Sale purchase by Visionaire out of a half-sister to Icy Air and Ice Axe.
It is not surprising she is making her debut over a mile as Icy Air won five Graded races from 1800m up to 2450m, including the SA Oaks.
The best bet of the day comes in the next race in the form of Perfect Pursuit.
This three-year-old King Of Kings gelding was ignored on debut and went off at 22/1 as only a few realised he was a full-brother to King’s Temptress, who won the Grade 2 SA Fillies Nursery on debut at massive odds.
Perfect Pursuit did not impress in the preliminaries as he is quite plain but he displayed a fine action in the race and was staying on strongly in the closing stages of the 1200m event.
Over that same trip and from pole position he is going to be hard to beat, although Dancing Flame and Chipofftheoldblok could certainly give him something to think about.
In the next race over 1200m Dream On looks to be a PA banker as she was staying on well last time over this trip and trainer Stuart Pettigrew gets them to improve slowly but surely.
She has a nice draw and Marco van Rensburg stays aboard.
Samoa
Samoa made a good debut and with expected improvement will be the chief threat.
Miss Pinkerton will enjoy the step down in trip after running out of steam late over 1450m last time when just failing against the hard-pulling Deerupt.
Both the latter pair can be included in the Pick 6 and Jackpot.
The next race is a tricky sprint handicap and Singaswewin is taken to win it, but he can’t be a confident choice.
He is capable of staying on well and has a good draw over and ideal trip, but he will need to behave better at the start than last time.
Meanwhile Quattro is off an attractive merit rating and should go close despite a wide draw.
Time To Great certainly ran well over 1450m on Saturday and this front-running sort will be dangerous over this 1200m trip from a plum draw with a 4kg claimer up.
However, others have to be considered as it is wide open.
The sixth race is an Assessment Plate over 1450m and Hakeem is not only best in at the weights but is ideally distance suited and well drawn.
He should have come on from his last start too.
Yamoto is a rangy sort with some class and although this is on the sharp side he could earn in his comeback from a three month layoff.
Strawberry Pavlova
The filly Strawberry Pavlova is an honest sort who should be staying on.
Make Your Move looks to be progressive and could surprise. Senor Lizard is another one to consider.
In the seventh over 1000m the filly Casual Wear looks to have plenty of scope and can continue to progress.
She faces some fair sorts like Hampton Court and Topmast but is 1,5kg better off then any other horse according to official merit ratings.
The last race is another tricky sprint handicap and going as wide as possible is the suggestion although the obvious ones are Rebel Renegade, That’s Life, Singfonico, Minnesota and Roman Evening.