Jack Milner: Winter Smoke was withdrawn from her race at the Vaal on Tuesday in order to contest the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint over 1160m for fillies and mares on the Turffontein Standside track on Saturday.
This obviously is a tougher field but she is a talented daughter of What A Winter and should hold her own against some decent members of her own sex.
The Ashley Fortune-trained runner has been the model of consistency. She has raced just eight times for three wins, two seconds, a third and two fourths. She has only raced once over this course and distance and that was in the Grade 3 Magnolia Stakes which she duly won.
Calvin Habib takes the ride again.
The main danger looks to be Tropic Sun who is better than her last race indicates. Two runs back, coming back from a layoff, Sean Tarry’s charge ended in third spot behind MK’s Pride and Forever Mine, two very decent runners.
However, in her next start, the Listed Bauhinia Handicap, Tropic Sun was well beaten by Sweet Future, who is a very good filly. But when she came under pressure Tropic Sun started to hang out and was beaten 3.85 lengths into third.
That was over 1000m and she has produced her best form over a little further.
The four-year-old daughter of Skit Skizzle looks well weighted this time and she meets Rio’s Winter on 4.5kg better terms than when going down to Stephen Moffatt’s filly by 0.75 lengths over 1200m at the Vaal in December last year.
Tropic Sun is also re-united with jockey Lyle Hewitson.
Risk Taker finished just one length behind Tropic Sun in the Bauhinia Handicap and is now 1kg worse off. However, Mike de Kock’s charge was finishing the better and could improve over the extra distance.
Rio’s Winter does look held by some of the runners, but she is a talented performer and could have a say in the finish.
Mill Queen might find 1160m too short for her these day but must have a chance if she can get going in time. Another to consider is Double ‘O’ Eight, who seems to save her best for this course and distance and does hold Winter Smoke on their run in the Magnolia Handicap.
However, Grant Maroun’s runner is not always the most consistent of performers but with S’manga Khumalo up, she deserves respect.
Tarry has a strong hand in the Listed Jacaranda Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m with Seehaam and Magical Flight.
But Paul Peter saddles Jet Start who has beaten a lot better than this. She has regularly given the colts a hiding and back in fillies-and-mares company could provide punters with excellent value, especially with Anton Marcus in the irons.
Shivers has not won in 541 days but has run a number of places and it would come as something of a surprise should Dorrie Sham’s runner not be involved in the finish. She is a must for Trifectas and Quartets.
Seehaam is a lightly raced four-year-old who notched up three wins in a row before finishing fifth in the Acacia Handicap last time. She was carried wide in the straight but did produce the fastest 400m to finish.
She carries just 52.5kg and Hewitson rides this time.
Stable companion Magical Flight finished a head in front of Mike de Kock-trained Sparkling Water in the SA Fillies Classic and both could have a say in the finish.