Jack Milner
Two unbeaten fillies will put their reputations on the line at the Vaal on Thursday when they race on the Classic track.
In Race 8, a MR 90 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m, Kiss Me Captain looks to score a fourth consecutive victory to keep her 100% record intact.
Diego de Gouveia has steered this Captain Of All filly to three victories and unsurprisingly retains the ride for trainers Mike and Adam Azzie.
She made all three her wins look easy, and it seems that she is still a few steps ahead of the handicapper, who has given her a merit rating of 96.
She has received a 13-point penalty for her last two wins but that may not appear too severe, given the manner in which she has won her races.
What could be a concern is that all three of her runs were either over 1160m or 1200m, and she does drop in distance. As a result, this will be her sternest test so far and if she comes through it successfully there is no question her next outing will be up in class, maybe even a graded event.
She does face some stiff opposition and top of that list is Flowerbomb from the Corne Spies yard. She came up against some decent rivals when runner-up in her first two starts, before comfortably winning her maiden in June.
The three-year-old Erupt filly was rested until 8 October on the Turffontein Inside track where she finished second behind speedy Iphiko.
Flowerbomb lost ground at the start and by the time she got going the race was over. With 54kg on her back, getting 3.5kg from Kiss Me Captain, she has to be a lively contender, but she will need to get out on terms.
The other danger is Blindedbythelights who will be having her first run for Fabian Habib. She has not raced since finishing a 1.25-length second behind Galla Vanting in the Pretty Polly Stakes in March, which followed up on a four-length debut win.
She could well need her first run in 215 days and perhaps the betting might be the best guide to her chances.
Race 9 sees unbeaten Mythical Dream face a full field of 14 runners in a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.
Victory will see this Querari filly, trained by Johan Janse van Vuuren, also complete a hat-trick.
It is interesting to note that her first two wins were accomplished around the turn on the notoriously difficult Turffontein Inside track, and on both those occasions she was drawn wide.
Her times over the last 400m on both those starts proves she has a tremendous turn of foot, and she should have no problem showing nothing but her tail to the chasing pack as she races down a straight track for the first time, where the draw is of little consequence.
One might argue that no runners have come out to win their next starts from her two form lines, but one cannot argue with a winner, and she does come from a very strong line of sprinters.
Her dam, Lightning Bird, is a full sister to Mythical Flight, one of the best sprinters in this country. The opposition is not all that strong and Mythical Dream looks a banker in the exotics.
Gavin Lerena rode her to victory on debut and he is back in the irons for this race.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 11 Noble Kingdom, 3 Global Approach, 7 Stepping Out, 1 Carnelo
Race 2: 3 Dockofthebay, 1 Mardi Gras, 7 Mini Coop, 6 Lord Varys
Race 3: 11 Otto Luyken, 1 Big Guy, 4 Gregor Macgregor, 10 Bronze Sword
Race 4: 9 Coffee In Seattle, 10 Ponderosa Pine, 3 Karin's Legacy, 1 Silk Garden
Race 5: 4 Rowins Dream, 9 Pomozelous, 1 Apache Fighter, 2 Sassy
Race 6: 2 Legislate's Dance, 5 Bloomington, 7 Coming In Hot, 8 Tirpitz
Race 7: 7 Bonnaroo, 2 Chyavana, 9 Twice The Storm, 10 Great Times
Race 8: 7 Kiss Me Captain, 10 Flowerbomb, 4 Blindedbythelights, 2 Rozara
Race 9: 6 Mythical Dream, 7 Silver Winter, 10 Clean Living, 8 Laetitia's Angel
BEST BET
Race 9 No 6 Mythical Dream
VALUE BET
Race 5 No 4 Rowins Dream
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x11
BIPOT
R324
Leg 1: 1, 3, 7
Leg 2: 1, 11
Leg 3: 3, 9, 10
Leg 4: 1, 4, 9
Leg 5: 2, 5, 7
Leg 6: 2, 7
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 11
Leg 2: 3, 9, 10
Leg 3: 1, 4, 9
Leg 4: 2, 5, 7
Leg 5: 2, 7
Leg 6: 7, 10
Leg 7: 6
PICK 6
R864
Leg 1: 1, 3, 9, 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
Leg 4: 2, 7, 9
Leg 5: 4, 7, 10
Leg 6: 6
JACKPOT 1
R216
Leg 1: 1, 2, 4, 9
Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
Leg 3: 2, 7, 9
Leg 4: 4, 7, 10
JACKPOT 2
R54
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9
Leg 4: 2, 7, 9
Leg 5: 4, 7, 10
Leg 6: 6