Braxton to follow up
THE Pick 6 for the eight race Vaal Classic track meeting tomorrow looks tough but will likely return a healthy dividend. It starts off with a tricky MR68 Handicap over 2400m. These low class staying handicaps can yield shock results and this race looks particularly tough. Tern Unstoned is tipped as a gelding who has done well over staying trips before and he gets a good draw for a change and runs off a merit rating which has dropped to a competitive mark. Cheat The Cheaters, Highlander, Desert Sunset, Brand New Cadillac, Evolver, Kings Cup and Excalibur’s Return should also be included and the whole field should be considered. In the first leg of the Jackpot over 1800m the imposing galloper by Captain Al, Invincible Lady, is looking for this trip but unfortunately has a tough draw which diminishes confidence. However, she does not face as good a field as last time and having just her sixth career start as a fouryear-old she still has scope for improvement so is still the selection to win. Waity Katie is a talented sort who should have benefitted from her last start. She is drawn well and has done well over this trip before.
Braxton
Braxton won well last time over 2 000m and must be included despite a four point raise and Mambo Model and Littlewood have to be included too. In the next race over 1600m Come The Day, Aurora Australis and Front Rank should get punters through. Come The Day is a progressive colt by Await The Dawn who was given just a two point raise for his win over this trip last time, He doesn’t have the advantage of a 1,5kg claimer up this time but he is strengthening and can come on from that last win. Aurora Australis is a four-year-old by Judpot having only his seventh start and is having his third run after a layoff. He looked promising after winning his debut over 1400m as a two-year-old easily despite a slow start and being cut into. He was disappointing when coming back in the September of hi three-year-old but last time out over 1400m, with his merit rating having dropped to 68 he came from last to run off for third in eyecatching style. He should relish the step up in trip and has dropped a further two points in the merit ratings. Front Rank is 5,5kg better off with Come The Day, if apprentice claims are included, for a 3,75 length beating and from a good draw he should maintain his recent good form off his current competitive mark.
Secret Captain
The sixth race is the highest rated race of the day and the enigmatic Secret Captain has drawn well over a suitable trip of 1600m having finally notched up his third career win last time over 1800m. He beat the classy Lord Silverio in that last race and in form Muzi Yeni stays aboard. Now that the grey has recorded his first win for Mike de Kock he can follow up off a three point higher merit rating. His stablemate Puget Sound looks to be coming into his own and is the danger, although he does have a two point higher merit rating to contend with after going close over this trip last time. Soldier On is another one who is coming into his own and he is drawn in pole over an ideal trip so can go close again despite being given a five point raise for his last win. De Kock could also dominate the next race over 1450m. Gimme Hope Johanna looks to be a promising sort with further scope for improvement although she was given a four point raise for her close second last time over 1450m and also has a wide draw now to overcome. Stablemate Only To Win ran a good race against the boys over 1600m on the weekend and looks to be well handicapped at present. This looks to be her ideal trip and he is well drawn. Those two could be enough to get punters through although the risk averse can include Comme-CiComme-Ca, who is interesting with first-time blinkers on, La Roquette, a R1,1 million horse who did well in her recent comeback from a layoff over the too sharp 1 000m, and Last Girl Standing, who might now be looking for this trip. De Kock could also win the last with Elbi, who does have pace but being by Philanthropist and one with plenty of scope she might well be looking for this 1450m trip. She is well drawn too. Quebec Queen ran well against the boys last time and enjoys this trip so can be a factor too despite a wide draw. Others to include are the improved Kick Butt, Samarra, who is proving competitive off her current lowered merit rating and Bell Tower, who is by Ideal World looks and looks to be coming into her own.