Crazy Vision to land the odds
THE Vaal Classic track stages a low key nine race meeting tomorrow and punters will be looking to fill their wallets ahead of the big Sansui Summer Cup meeting on Saturday. The highest rated race is a MR 72 Handicap over 1 700m and the horse who makes plenty of appeal here is the Visionaire gelding Crazy Vision.
He looks to be coming into his own as a four-yearold and showed a fine turn of foot to win going away over 1 600m in his penultimate start on the Turffontein Inside track where he jumped from a tricky draw of six out of eight.
He didn’t appear to stay the 2 000m trip last time, so will appreciate the step back to this trip.
He was given four points for the aforementioned win, but now jumps from a plum draw of two.
A low draw can be problematic at this course but tomorrow there will be a 3,5m false rail and also a 3,5m spur at the 500m mark so his regular pilot Randall Simons can afford to be patient before using this horse’s acceleration to maximum effect.
Lee’s Pick moved up well over 2 000m last time but then became a bit cramped for room and then ran on again.
Pagoda
This trip might be sharper than ideal, but this horse finished runner up to Pagoda in the Listed Derby Trial over 2 000m and the latter is fancied for the Summer Cup, so his merit rating of 61 is an attractive mark.
Furthermore, he won his maiden over 1 600m in March and has never run over shorter than 2 000m since.
So, the four-year-old Philanthropist gelding has to be an interesting runner here from a plum draw under Gavin Lerena.
Those two have been taken to get punters through the exotics. The first leg of the PA is an uninspiring maiden over 1 500m.
However, Flight School was still green last time over course and distance and was also a bit cramped for room and had to be eased.
He was staying on at the end nicely, although a concern is he was reported to have made a breathing noise.
Therefore, Double Tap, who stayed on resolutely over 1 600m last time before tiring in the last 100m, can also be included from pole position.
In the first leg of the Pick 6, a Maiden over 1 200m, the flying Mike de Kock yard introduce a first-timer colt by the late Await The Dawn, who has been making headlines lately with the like of Big Bear. Decision Time is out of a five-time winning Russian Revival mare and jumps from pole position in an uninspiring field.
The back-up is Hyper Jet from the in-form Paul Peter yard.
He has done well from the front in two starts with blinkers on and the form of his last start over 1 160m has worked out well.
He should go close if able to overcome the draw of six in a ten horse field.
National Host was one-paced on debut when held up, but last time out over this course and distance he showed a lot of pace and was not disgraced in a 5,4 length third to an expensive Mike de Kock firsttimer called Dhabyaan.
Alec Laird’s horses usually need their first two runs so National Host could improve further and make his presence felt, although his draw of eight will be tricky in his likely bid to go to the front again.
The second leg of the Pick 6 is a MR 66 Handicap over 1 000m and Exclusively Trendy is the stand out on form. The only thing that can stop him is a draw bias on the day, but usually there is no bias at this track and his number ten barrier position should not be a concern. The others who could be considered as back-ups for the Jackpot and Pick 6 are Roman Evening and Alpine Glacier.
The former has always struck as better than his form suggests and has found consistency this season off his mid-sixties merit rating.
Alpine Glacier was not disgraced in his last two starts over this trip in races won by useful sorts, and he now drops in class off a merit rating which has plummeted to an attractive mark.
In the next race, a MR 66 Handicap over 1 500m, Lake Kinnaret ran a cracker against some classy sorts over 1 450m and is the selection. He was due to run on Tuesday over 1 200m. If he doesn’t take his place then Ekuseni is the choice as all three of his maiden runs from 1 4001 450m were worthy of his 81 merit rating.
Devil’s Peak
Devil’s Peak and Royal Crusade are well related sorts who have to be considered and Arpad is a sort who is capable of popping up when in the mood.
In the seventh race Fish River Canyon has formed a good partnership with Lyle Hewitson and is well drawn over a suitable trip. He is the choice for PA banker and best bet, but can’t be considered a confident pick for either accolade as he was raised two points for his runner up spot last time out. Beautiful Shay and Golddust Woman make most appeal as the back-ups.
In the lucky last Holy Joe ran well against a Summer Cup contender last time over this 2 000m trip, but has a wide draw.
Champions Cup produced a storming run to win going away last time and if in the same nick can follow up. Walter Smoothie should relish the step up in trip. Speed Monitor has come down to an attractive merit rating.
Cash Time has been far from disgraced against some good sorts recently.