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Horse Racing, General News, DAMOVA, POMOZELOUS, Joe Soma, C Maujean

Damova to show her best at the Vaal

July 2025

Jack Milner

Trainer Joe Soma has a good record with long-distance runners and when he gets a runner who stays, he is able to get the best out of them.

That is the case with six-year-old mare Damova, from whom he has been able to extract five wins from 26 starts, with four of them over 2400m or further.

She has staying power in her blood as she is by Flower Alley out of a Silvano mare. Those runners related to Silvano often improve with age and that could well be the case with this mare who will line up in Race 6 at the Vaal on Thursday to contest a Classified Stakes over 2400m on the Classic track.

After beating Afraad over 3000m on the Inside track at Turffontein, Soma gave her a well-deserved break and she returned to racing last month in a MR 78 Handicap over 1800m on the main Vaal course. She was clearly in need of the run which can be ascertained by the fact she drifted out to 25-1.

In addition, 1800m might be considered a touch short. However, back over her more favoured trip she could be the one to beat.

She takes on the boys which is a hurdle she has overcome on other occasions and she does have a lot going for her. She is the one of the best weighted runners in the field and has a record of one win and one second in two races over the course and distance.

Chase Maujean takes the ride for the first time.

Soma also has Pomozelous in the race and this mare also seems to have improved since tried over this distance and fitted with blinkers.

While she is held on form by a couple of others, she will be having her third run after a rest and it would not be wise to leave her out of the Pick 6.

 

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 1 Trail Runner, 3 Empress Wu, 2 Fire Starter, 4 Shimmering

Race 2: 1 Johnny Drama, 5 Trip To States, 3 Gift Of Royal, 4 Codeword

Race 3: 7 Copper Eagle, 2 War Reporter, 1 Unsolved Riddle, 3 Laughing William

Race 4: 1 Cosmic Queen, 2 Bosum Buddy, 5 Kia Kaha, 4 Stars And Bra's

Race 5: 8 Phala Millions, 4 Falcon Strike, 1 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Sail The Sky

Race 6: 5 Damova, 7 Cartagena, 4 Lava Lamp, 10 Rainy Season

Race 7: 1 Sneak Preview, 6 Circle Of Grace, 3 Red Sparrow, 2 Hat Furious

Race 8: 4 Red Amber, 9 Lady Loxton, 5 Ghostbuster, 10 Northern Kitten

 

BEST BET

Race 8: 4 Red Amber

VALUE BET

Race 6: 5 Damova

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 1x3

 

BIPOT                          

R216

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5

Leg 3: 1, 2, 7

Leg 4: 1, 2

Leg 5: 3, 4, 8

Leg 6: 2, 4, 5, 7

 

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 5

Leg 2: 1, 2, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2

Leg 4: 3, 4, 8

Leg 5: 4, 5, 7

Leg 6: 1, 6

Leg 7: 4

 

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 5

Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8

Leg 4: 2, 4, 5, 7, 10

Leg 5: 1, 3, 6

Leg 6: 4

 

JACKPOT 1

R225

Leg 1: 1, 2, 5

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8

Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 7, 10

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6

 

JACKPOT 2

R75

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8

Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 7, 10

Leg 3: 1, 3, 6

Leg 4: 4

 

 

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