Selenio Peninsula Stands out at Vaal

Jack Milner

Following her victory in the Grade 1 World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Saturday, Fatal Flaw has formally established her status as one of the best three-year-old fillies in the country.

Prior to her victory in that event, the daughter of New Predator captured the Grade 3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes over 1400m at Turffontein. Two fillies who finished behind her were due to race run in Race 7 on Thursday, a MR 80 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1450m on the Vaal Classic track.

Salenio Peninsula and Cocomelon finished fifth and sixth respectively however, the scratching of Cocomelon on Thursday morning due to a bruised right fore has paved the the way for Selenio Peninsulla to get back into the No 1 box. .

Trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren, this daughter of Vercingetorix, a half-sister to Barbaresco, won her first two starts and was then caught late by Mia Moo in her third outing.

That winner has already proved herself as a decent sprinter and last time finished a 2.50-length fourth in the Grade 3 Betway Carry On Alice Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein.

Gavin Lerena, who rode this filly to victory on debut, will be aboard Selenio Peninsula once again.

The other two runners to take into account are Miss Lia and Francilien. Neither has run against the class of field contested by the main protagonists but they are both lightly raced and have lots of room for improvement.

Miss Lia, trained by Paul Matchett, has a win, two seconds and a third place from her four starts and interestingly all of them, whether winning or placing have been achieved by no further than 0.75 lengths.

She did run over 1400m at Turffontein last time and produced the fastest final 400m to finish 0.75 lengths behind Coral Blaze. Philasande Mxoli has ridden her on all of her starts and will be back on board for this event.

Francilien has run four times, all of them over 1200m on the Vaal straight course, and those runs have yielded two wins, a second place and a fourth last time. In that last race trainer Lucky Houdalakis engaged 4kg claiming apprentice Girish Samo-Burthia to ride the filly but she has a tendency to hang and the young apprentice was not able to provide the necessary assistance.

This time Houdalakis has called on in-form Craig Zackey to take the ride.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 3 Great Notion, 8 Lady Sabrina, 4 Lacewing, 6 Bella Boop Boop

Race 2: 6 Beynac, 5 Pioneer Square, 7 Dylan's Champ, 11 Asiah's Tiara

Race 3: 3 Towers Of Gold, 2 Guy Alexander, 4 Whispers Of War, 6 Ryan's Dream

Race 4: 8 Kadizora, 7 Visionofpeace, 9 Hat's Queen, 1 Mount Etna

Race 5: 4 Key Worker, 10 Cartagena, 1 Flamboyant Flyer, 3 Play With Fire

Race 6: 4 Twelve Oclock High, 2 Lets Play Poker, 3 Ombudsman, 9 After Hours

Race 7: 2 Salenio Peninsula, 5 Miss Lia, 1 Francilien, 9 Honorable Member

Race 8: 2 Alone Time, 3 King Of Numbers, 10 Call Me Master, 10 Written In Stone

BEST BET

Race 1 No 3 Great Notion

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 2 Alone Time BEST SWINGER

Race 1 3x8

BIPOT

R108

Leg 1: 3

Leg 2: 5, 6, 7

Leg 3: 2, 3

Leg 4: 7, 8

Leg 5: 1, 4, 10

Leg 6: 2, 3, 4

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 5, 6

Leg 2: 3

Leg 3: 7, 8

Leg 4: 4, 9, 10

Leg 5: 2, 3, 4

Leg 6: 2, 5

Leg 7: 2, 3, 7

PICK 6

R1200

Leg 1: 2, 3

Leg 2: 1, 7, 8, 9

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 5 10

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 2, 5

Leg 6: 2, 3, 7, 8, 10

JACKPOT 1

R120

Leg 1: 1, 7, 8, 9

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 5, 10

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4

Leg 4: 2, 5

JACKPOT 2

R150

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 5 10

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 2, 5

Leg 4: 2, 3, 7, 8, 10