Magner to keep on rolling

Jack Milner

It is often difficult to assess how much fuel a horse has left in the tank when they pass the finishing post at the head of the field.

For any studier of form that is a relevant issue because of the weight turnaround they may face the next time they run against the same opposition.

That looks to be the case with Rollwiththepunches in Race 6 at the Vaal on Tuesday, a MR 96 Handicap over 1200m. The Roy Magner-trained gelding comes off two recent wins, the first as easy as they come, beating Covette Captain by 6.75 lengths, and the second, a 1.25-length victory over Val D’Orcia. Both races were over 1160m at Turffontein.

The three-year-old Act Of War gelding was handed a 4kg penalty for the first victory and another 3kg for the second. As a result, he will now meet Goliath Heron, whom he beat by 2.50 lengths last time, on 3.5kg worse terms.

That could give Clinton Binda’s charge a good chance of reversing the form, especially as the trainer has engaged Piere Strydom for the ride.

That form line, however, also brings It’s About Time firmly into the picture as the Paul Peter-trained runner beat Goliath Heron by 1.70 lengths and is only 0.5kg worse off.

So, it is all comes down to how much Rollwiththepunches had in hand when he beat Goliath Heron last time out.

Ridden by Raymond Danielson on that occasion, Rollwiththepunches took the lead from the off and was never under threat. Beating Val D’Orcia, though, is most relevant as the son of Vercingetorix went on to capture the Grade 2 Post Merchants over 1200m at Greyville on Durban July day and has now been entered in the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over the same course and distance on Saturday 30 July.

It was a positive victory from Rollwiththepunches and with respect to Goliath Heron, he at no stage looked a likely winner. While he was only 2.70 lengths behind at the 800m mark, by the time they had 400m to run Rollwiththepunches had put seven lengths between the pair and that just left Goliath Heron with too much to do.

The same is likely to happen on this occasion and with Gavin Lerena up, Magner’s charge is going to be very hard to catch.

It’s About Time looks a bigger threat but he tends to be sluggish at the start and Muzi Yeni will need to get him going early if he is to have any chance of catching Rollwiththepunches.

Keep an eye on the performance of Rollwiththepunches as four runs back he was touched off by Frontline Fighter who lines up in Race 7.

His three subsequent runs resulted in a second place behind Supreme Warrior and those two victories so another good run could point towards Paul Peter’s runner because the Captain Of All gelding could provide some decent value in that race.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 8 Skyfull, 1 Colour Coded, 7 Eurydice, 6 Ballycotton

Race 2: 1 A Time To Flower, 6 Madame Vicki, 8 Queen Of Smoke, 5 Jinqin

Race 3: 10 Texas Red, 4 Love Me Again, 1 I Am Giant, 9 Tartarus

Race 4: 1 I'm In Love, 3 Silk Garden, 5 Lunar Ballade, 15 Spirit Princess

Race 5: 1 Master Of Coin, 3 Flag Bearer, 7 The Merciful, 2 Harold The Duke

Race 6: 2 Rollwiththepunches, 4 It's About Time, 6 Goliath Heron, 3 Mill Queen

Race 7: 3 Frontline Fighter, 1 Cabinet Shuffle, 5 Ridge To Reef, 10 Who's That Star

Race 8: 9 Break Point, 3 Knock Twice, 1 Big Five, 11 Central City

BEST BET

Race 8 No 9 Break Point

VALUE BET

Race 7 No 3 Frontline Fighter

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 1x6

BIPOT

R216

Leg 1: 1, 7, 8

Leg 2: 1, 6

Leg 3: 4, 10

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5

Leg 5: 1, 3

Leg 6: 2, 4, 6

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R72

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 4, 10

Leg 3: 1, 3

Leg 4: 1, 3

Leg 5: 2, 4, 6

Leg 6: 1, 3, 5

Leg 7: 9

PICK 6

R900

Leg 1: 1, 4, 9, 10

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 12, 15

Leg 3: 1, 3, 7

Leg 4: 2, 4, 6

Leg 5: 1, 3, 5, 7, 10

Leg 6: 9

JACKPOT 1

R225

Leg 1: 1, 3, 5, 12, 15

Leg 2: 1, 3, 7

Leg 3: 2, 4, 6

Leg 4: 1, 3, 5, 7, 10

JACKPOT 2

Leg 1: 1, 3, 7

Leg 2: 2, 4, 6

Leg 3: 1, 3, 5, 7, 10

Leg 4: 9