Express Rock looks a Pick 6 banker
THE Vaal stages a ten race card tomorrow and there look to be some opportunities for punters. The first race over 1 200m is an interesting Maiden. Oratorio filly Regal Graduation failed over this trip second time out. The impressive part of the run was she kept on finding extra when challenged, although the late surge of the winner Fort Vodka won.
The pair had pulled more than two lengths clear of the rest. Regal Graduation will have to improve as the form does not look too strong at present, but she is entitled to do so.
Get Your Groove On covers a lot of ground and ran on in eyecatching style on debut over 1 160m. In her second start she found herself in front around the turn over 1 400m and this did not suit her, but she did managed fifth. Reverting to hold up tactics over this 1 200m trip should put her in with a winning chance. Weichong Marwing has stayed aboard.
Generous Notion was another eyecatcher on debut. She dwelt at the start, losing a length or two, and showed good pace before running on well despite hanging outward.
The form has been franked although a horse, Kissmeinyourdreams, she beat by a length was beaten 2,35 lengths by Regal Graduation. The Sean Tarry-trained firsttimers can not be ignored and they have one here who is by Trippi out of a Galileo mare who ran four poor races.
Mullins Bay
Another first-timer of interest is Truce, who is by Mullins Bay and is a half-sister to West End, a five-time winning sprinter by Opera King. The other horse with some form is Backslash, who came from Port Elizabeth to run a good Highveld debut, but the feeling that was a weak race was confirmed when she was well beaten on Saturday.
If Generous Notion wins the first then Eleni will be of interest in the second over 1 200m as she beat Generous Notion by 1,1 lengths over 1 160m before going down by 1,3 lengths next time out over 1 160m to Schippers. Gold Dawn will be a threat as she caught the eye in her second Highveld start when her considerable stride carried her into a good 1,8 length second behind Carmalita over 1 000m on Saturday.
In the third over 1 400m Saint Michael is interesting as he was up with the pace over 1 160m last time but it certainly did not look like a comfortable cruising pace for him and he was found wanting in the closing stages. He should be comfortable over this trip as his breeding by Pathfork out of a Kingmambo mare suggests. The concern is he was reported to have made a breathing noise last time, so can’t be bankered. Aranjeuz looks like he has scope for improvement so can be included in the PA, alongside Colonel Bogey.
In the fourth race over 1 600m Empress Rock could be banker material. She was most unlucky last time over 1 700m when coming through to challenge and having to be snatched up as the gap between horse and rail closed. After being gathered she ran on for second. She took a keen hold in that race, yet still showed fine acceleration at the end, so over this 100m shorter trip it would be no surprise to see Weichong Marwing allowing her to stride freely from the off. If she is covered up and settles, she will be hard to beat.
Fragrant Miss
Fragrant Miss is the danger as she stayed on over 1 400 in a similar quality field to this one last time from a wide draw at Turfontein and should relish the step up in trip.
The handicaps start in the first leg of the Jackpot and in the first of them over 1 600m Pilgrim’s Progress, by the top class late sire Await The Dawn, is one who is going places. She is coming off a hat-trick and in time will rise above a merit rating of 88. The only concern is this could be a preparation outing for the classics and she would prefer further.
Emily Jay, going for a hat-trick, has always struck as one with a touch of class and makes the most appeal of the rest especially as she will likely relish a step up to 1 600m.
In the sixth race over 1 600m Pinfanta is a rangy sort with scope so can follow up on her maiden win off a mere 73 merit rating. Her chances will be good if Empress Rock wins the fourth as she beat that one last time.
The seventh is a tough handicap over 1 400m and the blinkers-strike Lady Negra is selected, as she has not always put it in and she could improve with the headgear on.
All Over The World is the main back up as one who at one stage looked full of promise and went close last time having dropped to her current lowly mark of 55.
Aerobatic is also off a competitive mark in the eighth over 1 400m and will enjoy the step up in trip. Caribbean Queen has the ability to win too and so does Heaven’s Door, the classiest horse in the field but one who returns from a 108 day layoff.
The ninth over 1 000m pits the classy Punta Cana, returning from a layoff of over a year after just one impressive start, against Brigtnumberten, who ran way above his rating in his penultimate start and was undone by the draw last time.
Rebel’s Champ also has plenty of ability and this up-and-coming sort has a chance of making it two in succession.