Jack Milner
While Tuesday’s Vaal card contains five Maiden Plates and three handicaps, there is an appealing bill of fare on offer.
There are some well-performed runners in action, many of whom coming back from a layoff. There are others who have only won maidens recently but could make vast improvement.
Tuscan Romance falls into the latter category. Trained by James Crawford, the four-year-old daughter of Master Of My Fate began her racing career in the Western Cape and in her first 11 starts, she really only ran one shocker, at that was when she finished 13.85 lengths behind Kleinzee over 1500m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on 8 March.
Other than that, she finished second in her first six starts and was tried over all distances from 1200m to 1800m. In fact, she even ran a promising 1.80-length third behind Double Dash at HWB Kenilworth, running on strongly.
However, after her awful Durbanville performance she moved up to Joburg and in her debut effort she again ran second, this time beaten 2.50 lengths by Pretty Persuasive over 1400m at Turffontein. She showed great early speed on that occasion but was caught in the closing stages.
He next run was over 1160m at Turffontein, and it came as no surprise when she romped home by 4.25 lengths, beating Rendevous in Rio.
What is of particular relevance is that two winners have come from that form line, in particular third-placed Merryweather, who not only went on to win her next start by 3.50 lengths, but yesterday at Turffontein ran on well to finish a 1.40-length third behind stable companion Stormy Day, who went off as a 4-0 favourite and looks very useful.
Meanwhile, Tuscan Romance makes her third appearance in the Highveld in Race 6 at the Vaal tomorrow, a MR 82 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. This is her first race over the minimum trip and she does, theoretically, take a jump in class, but she clearly has the cruising speed both issues.
She was only penalised 1kg for her maiden win and in fact, will carry 1.5kg less than last time. While Richard Fourie took the ride last year, this time Callan Murray will be on board, that is unlikely to have any negative impact on her performance as Murray is riding superbly at the moment.
She has been priced up at 4-1 in early betting which could be good value.
Her main threat is likely to come from lightly raced Alpine Jet from a very in-form Johan Janse van Vuuren stable. She won on debut over 1000m but was caught late in her next start over 1200m when going off as the 11-10 favourite.
As a result, this daughter of Vercingetorix may benefit from the drop in distance but what is of concern is that no winners have emerged from either of her two starts.
Muzi Yeni has picked up the ride.
Corne Spies sends out highly regarded African Pride for his seasonal debut in Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1200m, and if close to peak fitness he will be hard to beat.
The Rafeef gelding ran a promising third on debut and then was sent to HWB Scottsville to contest the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m. While he failed to place, he ran well enough to indicate that fit and well, he will be hard to stop.
Apprentice Trent Mayhew’s 1.5kg allowance will also work in this gelding’s favour.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 7 Bellerophon, 8 Equilateral, 9 Nebraska, 5 Rock My Boat
Race 2: 3 Magic Carpet Ride, 2 Duchess Of Paloma, 1 Iconic Winter, 9 Master's Rose
Race 3: 4 Vamanos, 5 Quiet Winter, 3 Lost For Words, 6 Hawksdale
Race 4: 3 African Pride, 1 Monkey Puzzle, 2 Arizona Magic, 8 Legal Flame
Race 5: 9 Red Secret, 1 Winds Of Grace, 2 Frangipani, 7 Hazy Dazy
Race 6: 2 Tuscan Romance, 3 Alpine Jet, 6 Paradise Way, 1 Global Thunder
Race 7: 4 Pressonregardless, 1 Taegan's Champ, 12 Richard The First, 2 Potberrie
Race 8: 6 Littlemisssplendid, 7 Mamlambo, 10 Sunshine Day, 9 Royal Horizon
BEST BET
Race 1: 7 Bellerophon
VALUE BET
Race 8: 6 Littlemisssplendid
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 2x3
BIPOT
R64
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 2, 3
Leg 3: 4, 5
Leg 4: 1, 3
Leg 5: 1, 9
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 6
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 2, 3
Leg 2: 4, 5
Leg 3: 1, 3
Leg 4: 9
Leg 5: 2, 3, 6
Leg 6: 1, 4, 12
Leg 7: 6, 7, 10
PICK 6
R2160
Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6
Leg 2: 1, 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 9
Leg 4: 2, 3, 6
Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 11, 12
Leg 6: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10
JACKPOT 1
R90
Leg 1: 1, 3
Leg 2: 1, 2, 9
Leg 3: 2, 3, 6
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 11, 12
JACKPOT 2
R270
Leg 1: 1, 2, 9
Leg 2: 2, 3, 6
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 11, 12
Leg 4: 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 10