Jack Milner
Trainer Ashley Fortune looks to have a strong hand in Race 7 at the Vaal on Tuesday, a MR 80 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.
She has three runners carded, two of which have particularly strong claims, in Special Variety and On Cue. They are both three years old but of the pair, perhaps Special Variety has more room for improvement right now.
The daughter of Rafeef only started racing in February this year and has run six times for two wins and three places. There is plenty of speed in her breeding as she is out of a Var mare, so there is little doubt sprinting is in the blood.
That appears to have been confirmed in her last run where she was tried over 1400m, but after looking dangerous with 400m to run, she found little in the tank but still stayed on well enough to finish third, beaten 3.75 lengths by Alabama Anna.
Special Variety will enjoy the return to 1200m, the distance over which she won her penultimate start. Ryan Munger, who appears to be the first-choice jockey for the stable right now, takes the ride.
On Cue is currently in prolific form, having won her last two starts. She has raced 20 times and is a four-time winner but has also demonstrated her consistency by also placing in 12 races.
She does have to carry top weight in this level of handicap, but Fortune found a solution to that problem by engaging a 4kg claimer in apprentice Siyanda Sosibo. He clearly got on very well with this filly, scoring a combative one-length victory over Benguela Cove, in spite of hanging badly.
Sosibo gets the ride once again and as a result On Cue will carry 57.5kg.
However, this is by no means an easy race and the handicapper might be delighted to see a blanket finish in this competitive event.
Firstly, Benguela Cove is also in this line-up and she will meet On Cue of 2kg better terms. Gavin Lerena will take the ride on the Erico Verdonese-trained filly this time.
One could also make a case for Alec Laird-trained Bequest with Muzi Yeni up as well as lightly raced Manaajim from the Mike de Kock yard. This filly has only raced twice, finishing fifth on debut and then running out a very comfortable 2.75-length winner over Golden Aspen in her second start.
She has not raced since winning that race in October last year and is probably in need of a run, but it would be advisable to keep an eye on any betting movements.
Craig Zackey takes the ride.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 9 Percussionist, 8 Orarari Gold, 6 Memorial Day, 7 Miss Soho
Race 2: 16 Without Equal, 15 Thewolfofwolseley, 9 Home Of The Brave, 13 Samthewiseman
Race 3: 7 Meridius, 5 Global Breeze, 1 Flow Forever, 8 Stepping Out
Race 4: 1 Mercurial Jet, 8 Silk Garden, 11 Queen Britanna, 12 Skyfull
Race 5: 4 Spin Doctor, 7 Dawn Of A New Era, 1 Nartjie, 6 Elusive Swann
Race 6: 2 Mufasa, 6 Lucy English, 7 Remember When, 3 Constable
Race 7: 8 Special Variety, 1 On Cue, 3 Benguela Cove, 2 Bequest
Race 8: 4 Big City Girl, 5 Integrate, 3 Feather The Nest, 7 Coming In Hot
BEST BET
Race 3 No 7 Meridius
VALUE BET
Race 8 No 4 Big City Girl
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 15x16
BIPOT
R72
Leg 1: 6, 8, 9
Leg 2: 15, 16
Leg 3: 7
Leg 4: 1
Leg 5: 1, 4, 6, 7
Leg 6: 2, 6, 7
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R288
Leg 1: 15, 16
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 1, 4, 7
Leg 5: 2, 6, 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 8
Leg 7: 3, 4, 5, 7
PICK 6
R1680
Leg 1: 7
Leg 2: 1, 8, 11
Leg 3: 1, 4, 6, 7
Leg 4: 2, 3, 6, 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
Leg 6: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14
JACKPOT 1
R240
Leg 1: 1, 8, 11
Leg 2: 1, 4, 6, 7
Leg 3: 2, 3, 6, 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
JACKPOT 2
R560
Leg 1: 1, 4, 6, 7
Leg 2: 2, 3, 6, 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 14