Van Vuuren holds a strong hand
OHAN Janse van Vuuren, who currently has a small raiding string based at Ashburton, takes to the Greyville poly track on Sunday where his runners have realistic chances in all six of their races and a straight-line Pick 6, while unlikely, is not beyond the realms of possibility. Crowd Pleaser in the Pick 6 opener is a progressive three-year-old who is no stranger to the Greyville poly as both of his victories have come on the synthetic surface. Back in January she simply ‘smoked’ ’em home, leading all the way over the 1 900m in an impessive performance. Crowd Pleaser was wacked eight pounds for that win which will make things a touch more difficult this time around against some more seasoned opposition but he has a poly master in Anton Marcus up and he could prove difficult to peg back. Marcus will be aboard another Van Vuuren runner in Gasoline in the fourth who caught the eye when finding some interference in his last start at the Vaal before finishing second. Older horses tend to take to the poly and on that showing he could have the measure of Keep On Chooglin, going this trip for the first time, and confirmed poly specialist, the Brian Wiid-trained Racing Socks. Marcus has forsaken the ride on the speedy Vine Street Star and a possible hattrick of wins for the Mayfair Speculators
Jfilly to partner The Thinker for Van Vuuren. If his sequence of win, lose, win continues, he is due another victory although his merit rating is also on the rise. Bonnie Dawn from the visiting Louis Goosen yard, and Vine Street Star are obvious dangers. Cathedral County hunts a winning hat-trick for Van Vuuren in the Track & Ball Gaming Handicap after scoring two effortless wins at the Vaal. Of concern is that he was reported to be coughing after both of those wins and they won’t be taking any prisoners when it comes to pace in this five-furlong dash with the filly Go With Flo under a postage stamp and the highly rated La Ferrari not short of early toe. Another Van Vuuren runner, Doosra, has lost his way a little since beating the likes of Heavenly Blue and Daffiq early last season but although well beaten into second last time out, blinkers appear to have improved him a little. He will need to find his best form if he is to get the better of the smart and lightly weighted Palladium. Cedrus Libani is the last of the Van Vuuren runners in the Jackpot Quick Mix Handicap. He will be up against it from a tricky draw in a field packed with possibilities. Top weight Breakfast Club is finally showing his true colours, winning both recent starts over course and distance, while Yankeedoodledandy, Archilles, King Django and Restless Rogue head a long list of possible winners.