Mia Moo well weighted at Vaal

Jack Milner

Mia Moo looks to be well above average and is the handicappers have got it right, Sean Tarry’s charge looks to be a shoe-in in Race 2 at the Vaal on Thursday, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1500m up the straight.

Although she comes into the race carrying top weight of 60kg, the four-year-old daughter of Vercingetorix is at least 3.5kg better handicapped than any of her opposition.

At the end of March she contested the Grade 3 Umzimkhulu Stakes for three-year-old fillies at Hollywoodbets Greyville where she was unfortunate to bump Justin Snaith-trained Double Grand Slam who is highly regarded by the stable and is somewhat of a specialist over 1400m.

Mia Moo did not race for the rest of the season but came back to racing on 5 October to contest a Graduation Plate for fillies and mare over 1200m on the Inside track at Turffontein. While the official distance of her win over Salenio Peninsula was just one length, once Craig Zackey had her in full stride the outcome was never really in doubt, although she did pull up distressed.

The extra distance should suit, and this lightly raced filly stands out as one of the best bets on the card.  

Zackey has retained the ride.

.Tony Peter has some decent runners on the card and he should come away with a winner or two at the meeting.

Best of his runners could be Fire Away-gelding Roman’s Revenge who shed his maiden tag at this venue earlier in the month, spreadeagling his opposition to win by an unchallenged 5.75-lengths under Chase Maujean, who retains the ride on the progressive three-year-old in Race 5, a MR 66 Handicap over 1700m.

With few metres on the clock after just seven starts, Peter’s charge remains open to improvement so he should prove better than the handicapper’s current assessment by following up on his handicap debut under 60kg.

Peter’s embarrassment of riches in the three-year-old department is highlighted by promising last-start winner Gorgeous Klein in Race 7 over 1200m. This exciting One World-colt confirmed the promise of his juvenile campaign with a 1200m comeback success on the Inside track at Turffontein earlier this month in what was a stronger race than the one he lines up in this time round, albeit off a 6-point lower mark.

Be that as it may, Gorgeous Klein would’ve tightened up appreciably with the benefit of that seasonal reappearance and remains open to any amount of progress, so he is good value to follow up and complete a race-to-race three-timer for the Peter yard.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 4 Jilted, 9 Mischief Managed, 1 Cat O'Clock, 11 Sweet Sophia

Race 2: 1 Mia Moo, 3 Happy Mo, 5 Free In Seattle, 6 It's Her Way

Race 3: 2 Kaleesh Cyborg, 3 Solar Sail, 16 Satyagraha, 10 Beynac

Race 4: 5 Buffalo Storm Cody, 2 Cymric, 1 Biofarmer, 4 Elegant Ice

Race 5: 4 Roman's Revenge, 1 Red Legend, 5 Vava Vegas, 3 Red Knot

Race 6: 7 Sacambaya, 6 Diesel's Shadow, 8 Shinto Shrine, 3 Captainofthegreen

Race 7: 2 Gorgeous Klein, 7 Count Invicto, 4 Ampersand, 1 Open Highway

Race 8: 11 Karate Kid, 7 Rollwiththepunches, 8 Halberdier, 12 Bob's Your Uncle

BEST BET

Race 2: 1 Mia Moo

VALUE BET

Race 6: 7 Sacambaya

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 1x3

BIPOT

R96

Leg 1: 1, 4, 9

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 2, 3, 10, 16

Leg 4: 5

Leg 5: 1, 4

Leg 6: 3, 6, 7, 8

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R162

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 2, 3, 16

Leg 3: 5

Leg 4: 1, 4

Leg 5: 6, 7, 8

Leg 6: 2, 4, 7

Leg 7: 7, 8, 11

PICK 6

R1875

Leg 1: 2, 3, 10, 13, 16

Leg 2: 5

Leg 3: 1, 4, 5

Leg 4: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

Leg 5: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

Leg 6: 4, 7, 8, 11, 12

JACKPOT 1

R75

Leg 1: 5

Leg 2: 1, 4, 5

Leg 3: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

Leg 4: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

JACKPOT 2

R375

Leg 1: 1, 4, 5

Leg 2: 1, 3, 6, 7, 8

Leg 3: 1, 2, 4, 5, 7

Leg 4: 4, 7, 8, 11, 12