Jack Milner: A MR 110 Handicap over 1200m of such high quality tops the Vaal card on Tuesday that it could quite easily have been a graded feature.
In fact, nine of the 15 runners have raced in a feature race in their last three starts, including the Grade 1 Computaform Sprint over 1000m and the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein.
Added to that, we also have a runner in Battle Force, who is unbeaten over this course and distance and come into this race with just 52.5kg on his back.
Trainer Paul Matchett has had a wonderful season and he has done very well with this three-year-old gelding, who has won four of his last seven races and finished second in the other three. Two of those runner-up spots have come over 1400m which looks a touch too far for the son of Act Of War.
Back to his favourite track and trip, he gets a narrow vote to keep his unbeaten record intact. Kabelo Matsunyane gets the ride for the first time.
The biggest threat is likely to come from Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes winner Vars Vicky. The three-year-old Var gelding got up on the post to beat Bohica, who franked the form when runner-up to Rio Querari in the Computaform Sprint.
Vars Vicky followed up the Senor Santa victory with a 2.50-length second to Seeking The Stars in the Grade 3 Byerly Turk over 1400m at Scottsville. As a result of his last two runs, Stuart Pettigrew’s charge has been quite heavily hit by the handicapper.
Vars Vicky’s merit rating has been increased from 106 to 115, and while he carried just 52kg in the Senor Santa, he goes into this race with 61kg on his back.
Mardi Gras bounced back to form last time when producing a flying finish to beat Bold Ransom by 0.75 lengths. Apprentice Jeffrey Syster rode him and is back aboard, claiming his 1.5kg
Wisteria Walk has been racing over further but is unbeaten over 1200m at the Vaal. Those two races were her first two and took place in August and September 2019. However, if she can still find the required speed, Lucky Houdalakis’ runner must come into the reckoning.