Jack Milner
Trainer Tony Peter came away with three winners at the Vaal on Tuesday, two of which were ridden by Andrew Fortune.
The two team up again at the same racecourse on Thursday and they could have an even better day.
Punters are being served up a rare 11-race mid-week meeting as an effort is being made to make up for the meetings lost as a result of all the rain last week, and as a result, there are even more TAB bets available. There will be three Jackpots – Races 1 to 4, Races 5 to 8, and Races 8 to 11 – as well as two BiPots – Races 2 to 7 and Races 6 to 11.
It is not an easy card as one would expect at meeting like as there are big fields with competitive racing.
But Peter has his yard in good nick, and they have some decent bets on the day.
While far from the classiest runner on the day, their best on card comes up in Race 5, a Maiden Plate over 1700m, where they send out The Ultimate King.
The son of Vercingetorix has only raced three times, finishing unplaced on debut before running third and second in his last two starts.
He was gelded after his last run when second behind Count Huhtikuu in February and that hopefully that should make all the difference.
This is not the strongest of fields ever assembled and he should be far too good for his opposition.
Their next best on the day looks to be Hong Kong, who lines up in Race 10, a MR 83 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.
This three-year-old filly was scheduled to take on the colts previously in a racemeeting that was abandoned and looked to be a decent bet in that field, but coming up against her own sex this time should make her an even better proposition.
She won at the second time of asking in a very strong maiden where she beat Green Sapphire by 2.50 lengths. Sean Tarry’s charge has gone on to win four of her five races since then, including a Grade 3 feature in KwaZulu-Natal last time, and finished second in the other.
Hong Kong returned from a break last time and finished a 0.50-length second to Frozen Fantasy over 1200m at the Vaal but returned with a mouth injury. She should be a lot fitter this time and looks hard to beat.
Fortune gets the ride for the first time.
The other two events where they have winning opportunities are with Safe Space in Race 6, a MR 80 Handicap over 1600m, and Cars Big As Bars in Race 9 over 1200m, where this filly looks good value to make a winning reappearance and complete her hat-trick.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 8 War Of Kingdoms, 1 Mizzen Sword, 12 Soho Heartthrob, 7 Tintin
Race 2: 3 Green Extreme, 1 Trail Runner, 12 Genovefa, 16 Red Amber
Race 3: 8 Green Street, 1 Ichacha, 5 Crescendo, 6 Molotov Cocktail
Race 4: 3 Cape Saffron, 2 Nkwenkwezi, 4 Artic Silver, 5 Flightlight
Race 5: 1 The Ultimate King, 5 Chieftain's Shield, 3 Blurred Vision, 6 Gold De Grace
Race 6: 7 Safe Space, 9 Obsidian, 11 Guerilla Warfare, 1 Fully Loaded, 4 Douglas Dragon
Race 7: 7 Bob's Your Uncle, 5 The Africa House, 6 Happy Mo, 3 Tsar Bomba
Race 8: 5 Miss Lia, 11 Calantha, 8 Kindred Heart, 4 Night Vigil
Race 9: 9 Cars Big As Bars, 2 Kings Again, 3 Alabama Anna, 5 Exceedingly Glam
Race 10: 1 Hong Kong, 6 One Party, 9 Happy Wives, 5 Juniper Green
Race 11: 4 Virgin River, 9 Phantom Express, 7 Kinshin Sha, 5 Tiger Storm
BEST BET
Race 5: 1 The Ultimate King
VALUE BET
Race 6: 7 Safe Space
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 1x8
BIPOT ONE
(Races 2 to 7)
R288
Leg 1: 1, 3, 12
Leg 2: 1, 8
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 5
Leg 4: 1
Leg 5: 1, 7, 9, 11
Leg 6: 5, 6, 7
BIPOT TWO
(Race 6 to 11)
R324
Leg 1: 1, 7, 9, 11
Leg 2: 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 5, 8, 11
Leg 4: 2, 3, 9
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 4, 7, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R108
Leg 1: 1, 8
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 7, 9, 11
Leg 5: 5, 7
Leg 6: 5, 8, 11
Leg 7: 9
PICK 6
R1800
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
Leg 2: 1
Leg 3: 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11
Leg 4: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 4, 5, 8, 11
Leg 6: 2, 3, 9
JACKPOT 1
R250
Leg 1: 1, 7, 8, 9, 12
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 12, 16
Leg 3: 1, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5, 9
JACKPOT 2
R120
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 1, 4, 7, 8, 9, 11
Leg 3: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 4, 5, 8, 11
JACKPOT 3
R60
Leg 1: 4, 5, 8, 11
Leg 2: 2, 3, 9
Leg 3: 1
Leg 4: 4, 5, 7, 9, 12