Jack Milner: Jive Express has not won a race since March last year, but she looks set to finally pay another visit to the winner’s enclosure after the running of Race 5 at the Vaal on Thursday, a MR 86 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m.
The five-year-old Modus Vivendi mare is a full-sister to Dance Class, a winner of seven of her 18 races, and while Jive Express has not quite reached the heights of her one-year younger sibling, she has still managed to notch up five wins in 34 starts.
In some ways St John Gray’s runner has been a little unfortunate in that she has placed frequently enough to ensure the handicapper does not drop her merit rating. In fact, when she won her last race, it was off a merit rating of 80 and resulted in her going up to 85. Going into this race at the Vaal, she will be racing off a merit rating of 84, despite not having won a race in 12 outings.
Nevertheless, she must come in with a decent winning chance on form. One of her main opponents looks to be Lyrical Dance. Two runs back Jive Express finished a 1.25 length-second behind Mike de Kock’s charge and when they met in their next start, over 2000m on the Turffontein Inside track, Jive Express was 2.5kg better off.
Both were beaten by Southern Song and once again Lyrical Dance managed to edge ahead by one length. However, Jive Express lost ground at the start but ran on in the closing stages.
This time she is another 1.5kg better and as long as Gavin Lerena can get her out on terms, Gray’s runner should come out on top this time.
The other runner with a chance is ultra-consistent Lady Amherst from the Alec Laird yard. She was touched off by Rouge Allure last time and takes a drop in class this time, but will carry 3.5kg more.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 Big Eyed Girl, 6 Vercin Dance, 1 Abayyaan, 5 Super Excited
Race 2: 10 Wings Of Nike, 9 Waya Yire, 1 French Joy, 2 Highest Honour
Race 3: 1 Manterio, 5 Bit Of Fun, 2 Prideoffranschhoek, 8 Intercity
Race 4: 3 Gold Griffin, 4 Immeasurable, 7 Twice The Act, 10 Masaaken
Race 5: 2 Jive Express, 1 Lyrical Dance, 3 Lady Amherst, 6 Rock You
Race 6: 3 Devilish Dancer, 2 Last Cheer, 1 Ancestral Prayer, 4 Lotus
Race 7: 4 Global Ransom, 1 Euro Cent, 7 Dance Lesson, 5 Blue Eyes
Race 8: 1 Power Ranger, 3 Trattoria, 5 El Romiachi, 4 Anatura
BEST BET
Race 3 No 1 Manterio
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 3 Devilish Dancer
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 9×10
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 1, 6, 8
Leg 2: 9, 10
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 3, 4, 7, 10
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 9, 10
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 3, 4 7
Leg 4: 1, 2
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3
Leg 6: 1, 4, 7
Leg 7: 1, 3
PICK 6
R1080
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 5: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 6: 1, 3, 5
JACKPOT 1
R360
Leg 1: 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 14
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 7
JACKPOT 2
R180
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 8
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 4: 1, 3, 5