Gold chance for Peter
FORM: RUNNERS FROM YARD TO OPEN AND CLOSE VAAL MEETING
Habib aboard both stable runners.
April has certainly been a relatively dry period for trainer Tony Peter and jockey Calvin Habib. While they have had a number of places, the No 1 box appears to be eluding them for the moment.
But highs and lows are all part of the game, and it will not be long before the winners will start to flow again.
In fact, that could happen as early as today, and it could be Peter and Habib opening and closing this meeting at the Vaal.
They kick off the meeting with Gorgeous Klein in Race 1, a Maiden Plate over 1200m. This is a twoyear-old son of One World who only recently joined the stable. He began his career in the Eastern Cape with Sharon Kotzen and raced twice at Fairview, both on the turf. He finished third on debut, 1.50 lengths behind Ravillious, and followed that up with a 2.25-length second behind Silvonian.
After that he moved to Joburg and once again ran second, beaten 1.50 by One More. However, there were valid excuses as he jumped in at the start and was found to a nasal discharge post-race.
Hopefully Peter has sorted out whatever troubled Gorgeous Klein last time and he now looks ready to open his account.
Golden Chandelier runs in Race 8 and is another juvenile who will be taking on older company. This daughter of William Longsword will certainly be tested as she is running in a MR 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.
It is not easy for these young fillies to take on older fillies and mares under handicap conditions but Golden Chandelier appears to have both the ability and maturity needed to handle the task.
She has raced six times already for two wins and two places.
As it happens, two of those defeats were behind her talented stable companion Almond Sea who finished third in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery after failing to see out 1160m in the wet going on that occasion.
Golden Chandelier also appeared to be a victim of the wet going last time as she was run out of it behind Peace Of Mind in yielding going at the Vaal last time.
There is no rain forecast for today and that should see her get back into the No 1 box.
The main danger, ironically, appears to be another two-year-old filly in Pinatubo who won well on debut for trainer Robyn Klaassen and two winners from two runners have come out of that form line.