In step with Hillary
IMPROVING: STENGER-TRAINED THREE-YEAR-OLD TO PROVIDE VAAL VALUE
ʂ Sweet Basil looks the main danger.
It is almost 71 years since New Zealand explorer Edmund Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest.
At the Vaal tomorrow, punters too will have a mountain to climb as they are confronted by a very difficult nine-race card.
Possibly it could be worth following in the footsteps of the great explorer and go with aptly named Hillary Step to provide some value for bettors.
Trained by Dianne Stenger, this three-year-old filly relished the move up to 1400m last time as she easily beat Heart Peaks over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside track.
The Canford Cliffs filly picked up a four-point penalty that day and looks ready to rise to the challenge in Race 8 at the Vaal, a MR 80 Handicap for fillies and mares up the straight.
This is actually quite a strong field and will provide a test for the three-year-old, but she has only raced five times for two wins and she looks to have plenty room for improvement.
It is also worth noting that other than her last race, winners have come out of all her other form lines.
Jockey Chase Maujean was replaced by 4kg claiming apprentice Trent Mayhew (although he was only able to claim 3.5kg last time) when scoring, but Maujean will be back in the irons this time around.
There is no shortage of challengers but perhaps Stuart Pettigrew-trained Sweet Basil could provide the biggest threat. This is also a lightly raced three-year-old who has a win and three places in her four runs.
She made a winning debut, beating Count Your Chances by a head, and has followed that up with a second, a third and a fourth – in that order.
Calvin Habib takes the ride.