Jack Milner
There are two Listed feature races at the Vaal on Saturday, the TAB Spook Express Stakes (Race 6) and the TAB Dr Richard Maponya Handicap (Race 7), and Mui Yeni could dominate both.
The Spook Express is for fillies and mares and is run over 2400m and Yeni will be aboard Poplar Park.
The Robbie Sage-trained daughter of Last Winter ran a bold race when second to Royal Invitation in the Sun Chariot Stakes at Turffontein, staying on gamely from a handy position.
She meets her old foe on 2kg better terms and effectively receives 4kg on the revised scale.
Lightly raced and still learning her craft, Poplar Park is tailor-made for this test. She’s proven over the trip (a win and a second from two 2400m attempts) and, more significantly, she saves her best for when the cheekpieces go on.
Her record with the headgear reads well, and with Yeni sticking with her, there’s a sense this filly still has the advantage in just her 11th career start.
Royal Invitation commands obvious respect on their recent clash and there shouldn’t be much between them now on the swing in weights, though Poplar Park’s profile suggests she may yet shade it.
The Dr Richard Maponya Handicap is a strongly contested event and Yeni will team up once again with Tony Peter-trained The Ultimate King who appears to be an exotic-bet banker.
The progressive Vercingetorix gelding advertised his class when finishing a close-up third in the Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup under Yeni, backing up his Grade 3 Victory Moon success that brought an eight-point penalty. He now shoulders a further two, but even so, he still appears leniently treated for a horse clearly on the up.
Dropping back from 2000m to 1800m is no concern, and with just 11 runs under the bonnet, The Ultimate King remains a low-mileage improver whose ceiling is yet to be found. Even under top weight, a repeat of his Summer Cup performance should be good enough.
Earlier on the card, Gimme A Vodka looks a professional way and profitable route to take in Race 1 over 1200m. The Sean Tarry-trained son of Gimmethegreenlight was narrowly denied on debut over 1000m and should strip fitter and sharper with natural improvement.
The extra 200m should be ideal, so Keagan de Melo should have favourite backers smiling early.
Race 1: 3 Gimme A Vodka, 1 Dads Dream, 8 Theodore Rooseveld, 4 Magic Path
Race 2: 11 Lolly Willowes, 13 Nicolson Landing, 4 Fiery Frolic, 10 Detailed Forecast
Race 3: 1 Taskmaster, 2 Stoneywood, 8 Balule, 4 Monkey's Wedding
Race 4: 3 Can You Danse, 4 Peregrine Falcon, 2 Rockaroundtheclock, 9 Hathighwaytothesky
Race 5: 4 Military Moves, 1 Arlington Action, 2 Banha Bridge, 3 Top Shelf Teddy
Race 6: 5 Poplar Park, 2 Royal Invitation, 4 Woman's World, 6 Cocomelon
Race 7: 1 The Ultimate King, 5 Buster Barnes, 7 Copper Eagle, 8 Gerbera
Race 8: 2 Trombolines, 4 Tommy Atkins, 6 Jaffa, 5 Prince Of Kildare
Race 9: 7 Care Forgot, 4 Yippee Kiyay, 2 Palace Prince, 5 Francilien
Race 10: 4 Mattiazo, 8 Golden Aspen, 10 Can't Catch Me, 1 Paris Fun
BEST BET
Race 1: 3 Gimme A Vodka
VALUE BET
Race 4: 3 Can You Danse
BEST SWINGER
Race 7 1x5
BIPOT
R216
Leg 1: 4, 11, 13
Leg 2: 1, 2, 8
Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 9
Leg 4: 1, 2, 4
Leg 5: 2, 5
Leg 6: 1
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 1, 2, 4
Leg 4: 2, 5
Leg 5: 1
Leg 6: 2, 4
Leg 7: 2, 4, 7
PICK 6
R1920
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 9, 15
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 6
Leg 4: 1, 5
Leg 5: 2, 4, 6
Leg 6: 2, 4, 5, 7
JACKPOT 1
R128
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 6
Leg 4: 1, 5
Leg 5: 2, 4, 5, 6
JACKPOT 2
R192
Leg 1: 1, 5
Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 2, 4, 5, 7
Leg 4: 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, 12