A sweet send-off for Kelsey

Jack Milner

It is said that sometimes, the best man for a job is a woman.

Well, this saying will certainly come under scrutiny at the Vaal on Thursday when Kelsey Mayhew-Munger gets her fifth career ride in the card opener.

Wife of jockey Ryan Munger, Mayhew-Munger will be aboard three-year-old filly Poursomesugaronme for trainer Ashley Fortune, making them the only all-female trio in the race – and on the card.

Mayhew-Munger, a licensed assistant trainer and work rider, scored her first win on her debut ride aboard Miss Soho for Fortune in October last year, so the trainer/jockey combination look well set to double up in this Work Riders Maiden Plate over 1000m.

She has ridden Poursomesugaronme before – five runs back when the filly just ran out of steam on a yielding Vaal track to finish fourth in only her second outing.

After that, husband Ryan was tasked with the “man’s job”. Pairing up with the daughter of Captain Of All, he rode her to a third-place finish, and the pair then followed up with a hat-trick of runner-up finishes.

The highest-rated and best weighted runner in the field of 10, Poursomesugaronme is overdue to exit the maidens and in this field should have no trouble getting the job done.

One cannot help but wonder what the bragging rights will involve in the Munger-household if Mayhew-Munger does steer Poursomesugaronme to victory.

It is interesting to note that the Mayhew-Munger couple will be leaving South Africa shortly to seek greener pastures in Canada.

The couple are on their way to Ontario where Munger will be in action at Woodbine when the Canadian season begins on 22 April. The pair are due to arrive in “Maple Syrup country” a few weeks before the start of their season.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 5 Poursomesugaronme, 1 Fulliautomatix, 2 Crown Prince, 4 Summer Lightning

Race 2: 6 Jerusalema Rain, 5 Hawkbill, 3 Emporium, 11 Zoombomber

Race 3: 3 Cala Muretta, 9 Queen Of Camelot, 13 White Hills, 5 Micke's Bomb

Race 4: 5 Harold The Duke, 6 Broadway, 1 Godfather, 2 US Open

Race 5: 2 Broadlands, 3 She's A Klawer, 4 Impersonation, 1 Lady Zultanite

Race 6: 1 Flag Bearer, 2 Absolute Value, 3 Prime Example, 6 Queen Britanna

Race 7: 1 Sheldon, 8 Siberian Steel, 4 Herecomestherain, 2 Godswood

Race 8: 5 The Mauritian, 1 Unconditional Love, 11 Cian The Conqueror, 4 Johnny Dogs

Race 9: 1 Calibre Crest, 6 Waqaas, 7 Suryavarman, 12 Timbavati River

Race 10: 1 Run For Cover, 5 Blue Waters, 8 Sage King, 2 Quandary

BEST BET

Race 1 No 5 Poursomesugaronme

VALUE BET

Race 5 No 5 Harold The Duke

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 3x9

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 5, 6

Leg 2: 3, 9

Leg 3: 1, 5, 6

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 1, 2, 3

Leg 6: 1, 8

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 3, 9

Leg 2: 5, 6

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3

Leg 5: 1, 8

Leg 6: 1, 5, 11

Leg 7: 1

PICK 6

R1440

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 6

Leg 4: 1, 4, 8

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 13

Leg 6: 1

JACKPOT 1

R288

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 6

Leg 3: 1, 4, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 13

JACKPOT 2

R90

Leg 1: 1, 4, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 5, 11, 13

Leg 3: 1

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 7, 8