Rightful King to claim his crown
Breathing problems now sorted
After finding betting support and running on strongly last time over a too short 1000m, champion trainer Sean Tarry’s Rightful King should strip a fit horse at the Vaal today and is a confident selection to win Race 6, a MR79 over 1200m.
The four-year-old looked a top sort when bolting up by over five lengths on debut in April last year. He then went off third favourite for the Grade 1 SA Nursery two weeks later but finished last after suffering from an ongoing breathing problem.
He now has his third run after being gelded and rested and will run over his favourite distance. Even more importantly there have been no sign of any breathing problems in his two comeback runs. That all adds up to a potent winning package and he can be bankered in all exotics. With 3-1 currently on offer, he is worth a decent win bet either at TAB or with Betting World.
Three-year-old Manitoba also finished strongly over 1000m last time and looms up as the most serious danger to our selection. He is also much more comfortable over this distance. The Swinger and Exacta route with these two could be another way to make a profit.
Another with strong win credentials is Summer Cup entry Elevated, who lines up in the first leg of the Pick 6 - a Graduation Plate reduced to a mere four runners following three scratchings. After scoring convincingly on his Highveld debut, he probably found the 1475m of the Grand Heritage a little sharp, and will be far more at home over this 1800m.
Promising Adam and Mike Azzie-trained Full Mast is the obvious danger and is yet to finish out of the first two in three appearances. He seems likely to be forced to settle for the runner up berth once again but has obvious scope for improvement and will have plenty of followers of his own.