Jazaalah the ‘nap’ at Vaal
CONSISTENT: SHE HAS EXCELLENT FORM AND HOLDS A FEW OF THESE ON HER LAST RUN
Distant Call might be the right one in the richest race at the meeting.
They’ve saved the best for last at the Vaal Classic meeting tomorrow because the top bet on the card comes in Race 9, a FM 68 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.
The horse in question is Mike de Kock-trained Jazaalah, an Australian-bred filly who has a win and two seconds to show from as many career starts.
She opened her account over this course and distance at the second time of asking, beating Western Shamrock by a length. That form has not been franked, except by Jazaalah, who was well backed next time out over 1000m at Turffontein. She tasted defeat again, but found only Ice Art too good for her and finished 1.25 lengths back.
That race has yielded a subsequent winner in Outlander and another horse who finished behind Jazaalah has also placed since, giving the race a solid feel.
She also had five of these rivals behind her that day, with Osculation getting closest in third, but 3.50 lengths behind the selection with Varsity Princess fourth. The weights still favour Jazaalah and, anyway, the More Than Ready three-year-old has much more scope for improvement in only her fourth career outing than her well-exposed rivals.
She is likely to start at cramped odds in spite of her 61.5kg impost but Jazaalah, who will be ridden by Anthony Delpech, looks a safe Win bet.
Osculation looks the right one for the Exacta but a number of horses could fill the minor placings in Trifectas and Quartets, headed up by Moss Gas, Cals Crush and Modjadji.
The richest race on the programme is Race 8, an MR 80 Handicap over 1000m and this looks harder to predict.
Distant Call is bidding for her third win in a row but could defy a three-point penalty in only her fourth career start.
The Geoff Woodruff-trained three-year-old’s first win came over 1200m on the Inside track at Turffontein in September.
She returned to action on 16 December to beat Twelve Oaks over 1160m on the Standside track.
She will strip fitter, and has a handy 54.5kg to carry.
Moshav, Vicomte, Sir Spencer and Marmook also have good chances.