Experience to make the difference

Jack Milner

Many trainers will tell you that no matter how well a horse is working at home, they do not know for certain it will run that well on debut.

Going to the racecourse is a far cry from galloping with a stablemate in the morning. For a debutant an actual race is an entirely different experience. There are more horses around, there is the tension as they go into the gates, and so many things can go wrong in running.

In Races 2 and 4 on the Vaal Classic track on Thursday, we have a group of runners who have only run once, some of whom received various degrees of betting support, but all failed to win.

Race 2 is a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1600m where Home Of The Brave and Slinky Mapimpi will be having their second runs. Both of them could have gone closer had matters not gone awry first time out.

Tyrone Zackey trains Home Of The Brave who was at 17-2 but unfortunately received a bump at the start. He ended up a two-length fourth behind Without Equal.

Phillip Vermeulen trains Slinky Mapimpi who saw a small betting move from 33-1 to 20-1. The Coup De Grace colt was slowly away, bumped and raced greenly, but he too pulled off the fastest last 400m to end up a 0.25-length second behind Raffles over 1100m at the Vaal.

With the experience under his belt and with Muzi Yeni now in the irons, he gets the nod to shed his maiden tag.

In Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1000m, Mike and Adam Azzie-trained Far Away Winter was all the rage on debut, going off at 5-10. However, nothing went right - he was slow out, shifted around, got bumped and then pulled up fatigued.

He finished fourth, beaten 3.50 lengths by Aniara, over 1000m at the Vaal. However, second in that race was Mercantour who has gone on to win three times.

Far Away Winter has since been gelded and hopefully he will bring to the course what he has shown at home.

Paul Peter saddles Williamthefighter who also found massive support on his first appearance to go off at 33-20 after opening at 5-1. He was always up with the pace but was restless and tired late to end up a 1.50-length fourth behind Captain Persia.

He should also improve with the run under his belt.

Finally, we have Ashley Fortune-trained Winter Legend, who was firm at 25-2 on debut. He was in contention early on but faded out to run ninth, 8.50 lengths off Clean Living.

The stable is in deadly form so this gelding cannot be ignored.

All of these horses showed something before they came to the track but their races did not turn out as expected. Now it will come down to which of them has learned most from the experience and has a bit of luck this time.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 12 Southern Style, 2 Beltway, 10 Nellie Bly, 8 Dame Twining

Race 2: 7 Slinky Mapimpi, 6 Poets Warrior, 3 Home Of The Brave, 8 Stepping Out

Race 3: 4 Light Of Day, 5 On The Guest List, 8 Tulip Tree, 1 A Colourful Past

Race 4: 4 Far Away Winter, 7 Williamthefighter, 6 Vartacus, 9 Heart And Mind

Race 5: 5 Romeo's Magic, 3 Arlington Action, 7 Mingshi, 4 The Brief

Race 6: 2 Pin Up, 6 Gilded Butterfly, 7 Halloween, 8 Cheringoma

Race 7: 5 Silvery Blue, 2 Defender Of Rights, 1 Dancing Arabian, 9 Rose Willow

Race 8: 6 Quest From Afar, 5 Just Be Nice, 7 Queen Bomi, 3 Wondering Star

BEST BET

Race 1 No 12 Southern Style

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 2 Pin Up

BEST SWINGER

Race 7 2x5

BIPOT

R162

Leg 1: 12

Leg 2: 6, 7

Leg 3: 4, 5, 8

Leg 4: 4, 6, 7

Leg 5: 3, 5, 7

Leg 6: 2, 6, 7

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 7

Leg 2: 4, 5, 8

Leg 3: 4, 7

Leg 4: 3, 5, 7

Leg 5: 2, 6

Leg 6: 2, 5

Leg 7: 5, 6, 7

PICK 6

R1728

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5, 8

Leg 2: 4, 6, 7

Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 4: 2, 6, 7

Leg 5: 1, 2, 5

Leg 6: 3, 5, 6, 7

JACKPOT 1

R144

Leg 1: 4, 6, 7, 9

Leg 2: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 3: 2, 6, 7

Leg 4: 1, 2, 5

JACKPOT 2

R180

Leg 1: 3, 4, 5, 7

Leg 2: 2, 6, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2, 5

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 6, 7