Drop in trip to suit Kalahari Blue

Jack Milner

Hardly a meeting on the Highveld goes by these days without a winner or two from the Johan Janse van Vuuren stable.

The stable is in deadly form and any punter would almost be committing betting suicide by not including their runners into exotic bets.

On Tuesday Van Vuuren sends out Kalahari Blue in Race 4, a MR 80 Handicap over 1160m on the Turffontein Standside track. The three-year-old gelding has been racing over further, with his last two races being over 1450m on the Turffontein Inside track and over 1500m on the Vaal Classic track respectively.

He led for most of the journey in his first start but was caught late by Arividicio who went on to win by 1.25 lengths. He did jump outwards at the start and bumped two horses and although he quickly regained his stride, one is never sure as to what extent the incident affected his performance.       

In his last run Kalahari Blue was always up with the pace but failed to kick on and ended up in fifth place, although beaten just 2.50 lengths behind Asiye Phambili.

One got the impression that he could not find a finishing burst over that distance so this return to 1160m should be just what the doctor has ordered.

He is a two-time winner from six starts, and both of them were over 1200m on the Inside track at Turffontein. Keagan de Melo has ridden this gelding in his last four starts and he takes the ride once again.

The obvious danger is Spielberg, a two-time winner from six starts, trained by Robyn Klaasen. The four-year-old Futura gelding has also placed on three occasions but all of his best runs have come over 1000m. His first race was over this course and distance but after leading for most of the journey, faded slightly in the final 200m and finished third, 2.35 lengths behind Pinch Hit.

The other runner to consider is Ramchandani Road, who comes off a victory over this course and distance last time in which he was never headed.

He received a 2.5kg penalty for that win and does take a jump in class this time. However, he is speedy and ran well for jockey Calvin Habib, who is back in the irons once again, in his last start.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 9 California Boy, 1 Uncle Ticky Bird, 2 Stroke Of Mercy, 4 Full Go

Race 2: 1 Mighty Goddess, 2 Tiz Magic, 6 Tsitsikamma Pearl, 5 Picara

Race 3: 11 I Am Giant, 8 Chyavana, 6 Galla Vanting, 4 Mercantour

Race 4: 4 Kalahari Blue, 3 Spielberg, 7 Ramchandani Road, 6 Arbitrator

Race 5: 3 Raratonga Rose, 4 Namaqua Blossom, 1 Flying First Class, 7 Apache Fighter

Race 6: 7 Big Burn, 11 Moonshiningthrough, 4 Vars Vicky, 9 Eden Roc

Race 7: 1 Reny, 6 Future Pearl, 7 Ryan's Dream, 8 Thambi

Race 8: 11 Allez Moris, 10 Willow's Wish, 1 Savannah Storm, 2 Platinum Sky

BEST BET

Race 4 No 4 Kalahari Blue

VALUE BET

Race 8 No 11 Allez Moris

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 3x4

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 1, 2, 9

Leg 2: 1, 2

Leg 3: 4, 6, 8, 11

Leg 4: 4

Leg 5: 1, 3, 4

Leg 6: 4, 7, 11

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R288

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 6, 8, 11

Leg 3: 4

Leg 4: 3, 4

Leg 5: 4, 7, 11

Leg 6: 1, 6, 7, 8

Leg 7: 1, 2, 10, 11

PICK 6

R1920

Leg 1: 4, 6, 8, 11

Leg 2: 4

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4, 7

Leg 4: 4, 5, 7, 11

Leg 5: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

Leg 6: 1, 2, 10, 11, 14

JACKPOT 1

R96

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 1, 3, 4, 7

Leg 3: 4, 5, 7, 11

Leg 4: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

JACKPOT 2

R480

Leg 1: 1, 3, 4, 7

Leg 2: 4, 5, 7, 11

Leg 3: 1, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

Leg 4: 1, 2, 10, 11, 14