Chance for Strydom to close the gap

Jack Milner

Piere Strydom is now just four rides short of his goal of 5,500 career victories and on Thursday at the Vaal, the six-time champion jockey has four rides, three of which have been priced up as favourites.

All three are for trainers Barend Botes and Yolande Vosloo, a stable that has given Strydom quite a few decent rides of late. In fact, his last two winners – Bey Suyay and Mirren – are both trained by Botes and Vosloo.

You will probably have to go back quite a while to find the last time Strydom has gone into a racemeeting with three early favourites, but he can certainly use the opportunity to close in on his target.

His fourth ride, Bronco Blitz for trainer Fanie Bronkhorst in Race 6, is not without a chance either.

Please note that this meeting was originally scheduled to be run on the Vaal main track which is not yet ready, so it has been moved to the Classic track. That means all races over further than 1000m will be run around the turn.

Possibly the best of Strydom’s rides comes up in Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m, where he is aboard Desert Fox. This three-year-old gelding had a promising debut run over 1200m up the Vaal straight when a 3.75-length third behind Houston in August under S’manga Khumalo.

The good run clearly came as no surprise to the connections as the son of Sudden Storm was firm at odds of 25-2. Desert Fox broke slowly and then raced greenly, so he should have come on markedly with the outing under his belt.

In addition, a winner from three runners has already come from the form line.

The move to the Classic track could turn out to be an advantage as Desert Fox is perfectly drawn at No 2.

Mirren has been a revelation since moving to Botes and Vosloo and has notched up two wins and two very close-up places from her four runs. Strydom rode Mirren to victory three runs back and Khumalo was aboard for her second victory.

All those runs were on the Turffontein Inside track, but the five-year-old mare should have no issues adapting to the Classic track.

Strydom could also win on Berengaria in Race 8, a Classified Stakes over 1450m as she has improved since fitted with blinkers. But perhaps Parker Getrix could provide better value for punters.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 4 Batik, 1 Brazilian Storm, 3 Silk Garden, 9 Sassy

Race 2: 7 Desert Fox, 10 Noble Kingdom, 1 Northern Tune, 3 Eye Of The Prophet

Race 3: 10 Reny, 3 Wow, 5 Bonete, 12 Storm Dominator

Race 4: 4 Good Council, 3 Climate Control, 6 Pragmatist, 5 Drop Of Time

Race 5: 3 Kiss Me Captain, 2 Strike A Match, 5 Antigua Night, 7 Time For Glory

Race 6: 5 Spielberg, 9 Mescal, 2 Twice As Splendid, 8 Stormy Seas

Race 7: 5 Mirren, 2 Sir Tallin, 4 Master Of Coin, 1 Kool Baikal

Race 8: 13 Parker Getrix, 1 Berengaria, 2 Burmese Tiara, 10 Never To Clever

BEST BET

Race 6 No 5 Spielberg           

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 13 Parker Getrix

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 1x4

BIPOT

R162

Leg 1: 1, 4

Leg 2: 1, 7, 10

Leg 3: 3, 5, 10

Leg 4: 3, 4, 6

Leg 5: 2, 3, 5

Leg 6: 5

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R324

Leg 1: 7, 10

Leg 2: 3, 5, 10

Leg 3: 3, 4

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5

Leg 5: 5

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5

Leg 7: 1, 2, 13

PICK 6

R2000

Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 10, 12

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 4: 5

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 6: 1, 2, 10, 11, 13

JACKPOT 1

R80

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 6

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 3: 5

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5

JACKPOT 2

R100

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7

Leg 2: 5

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 2, 10, 11, 13