Ballerina to waltz home at the Vaal

Jack Milner

For a two-year-old, Little Ballerina is certainly well travelled, and there is probably a lot more to come.

Candice Dawson’s charge began her career in the Western Cape and after finishing unplaced on debut over 1000m, went on to win the Non-Black Type Cape Racing Sales Cape Slipper over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

The daughter of Vercingetorix then placed third in the Grade 3 Cape Of Good Hope Nursery behind highly regarded One Stripe.

She then came up to Joburg and demonstrated her talent with a comprehensive victory in the Grade 2 Wilgerbosdrift Fillies Nursery over 1160m at Turffontein.

Little Ballerina has her second race on the Highveld at the Vaal on Thursday when she lines up in Race 2, a Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1200m and she is fully expected to notch up her third victory from five starts.

We are just a few weeks away from the four Grade 1 sprint races at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and this will clearly be a prep run for Dawson’s charge ahead of that meeting.

On known form Little Ballerina stands out in this field and with an unofficial merit rating of 102, looks impossible to oppose.

Gavin Lerena rode her to victory in the Fillies Nursery and he will be back on board for this race.

One runner who could upset is Gimmethegreenlight first-timer Green Sapphire, is a half-sister to feature race winner Pink Tourmaline, trained by Sean Tarry. She will have to be really good to cause an upset but does get 5kg from Little Ballerina.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 3 Parisian Walkway, 4 Pearl In Her Crown, 6 Sonic Jet, 2 Mizzen Sword

Race 2: 1 Little Ballerina, 5 Green Sapphire, 4 Kindred Heart, 3 It's Her Way

Race 3: 12 Grand Crescendo, 14 Shinto Shrine, 13 Lightinthestorm, 9 Ilha Da Orange

Race 4: 5 Officer In Command, 4 Majestic Palace, 2 King's Express, 6 Nordic Rebel

Race 5: 10 Sukhumvit, 2 Sugar Blast, 5 Millahue, 9 Total Surrender

Race 6: 3 Beamonesque, 2 Mount Pilatus, 8 Chasing Happiness, 4 Global Thunder

Race 7: 10 Gimmefabulous, 7 Wings Within Me, 4 Black Egret, 6 Richard The First

Race 8: 7 Walled Garden, 10 Jet Cat, 13 Dancing Dora, 4 Sharapova

BEST BET

Race 2 No 1 Little Ballerina

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 7 Walled Garden

BEST SWINGER

Race 3 12x14

BIPOT

R108

Leg 1: 3, 4, 6

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 12, 14

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5

Leg 5: 2, 5, 10

Leg 6: 2, 3

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R270

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 12, 14

Leg 3: 2, 4, 5

Leg 4: 2, 5, 10

Leg 5: 3

Leg 6: 4, 7, 10

Leg 7: 2, 4, 7, 10, 13

PICK 6

R2016

Leg 1: 12, 14

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5

Leg 3: 2, 5, 9, 10

Leg 4: 2, 3

Leg 5: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

Leg 6: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 13

JACKPOT 1

R144

Leg 1: 2, 4, 5

Leg 2: 2, 5, 9, 10

Leg 3: 2, 3

Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

JACKPOT 2

R336

Leg 1: 2, 5, 9, 10

Leg 2: 2, 3

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 7, 9, 10, 13