Jack Milner
Bettors are confronted by a seven-race card at the Vaal on Thursday, and while the meeting may lack bulk, it is not short on intrigue.
It is not an easy card and there could be a number of pitfalls for racing fans. But while these may test form studiers, there is great satisfaction, both intellectually and financially, if one does get it right.
So, with that in mind, we are going to be looking to trainers Tony Peter and Fanie Bronkhorst to provide punters with two bankers and leave us with the option of loading the other legs of the exotics.
Peter sends out Faithful Neo in Race 4, a MR 86 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. This four-year-old filly has raced 10 times for three wins and two places, and although winning on debut, it was only towards the end of her three-year-old career that she really matured into a competitive sprinter.
Looking at her last three runs, they have yielded two wins and a fourth place, and this Horizon filly appears to be getting better with age. Last time out she could not have been more impressive when racing clear of her opposition to beat Lonely As A Cloud by 4.75 lengths.
As she contested a Classified Stakes on that occasion, the handicappers are restricted as to the size of her penalty and they slapped with the maximum six points. However, she no doubt ran to a much higher merit rating and therefore she comes into this handicap extremely well weighted, carrying 57.5kg.
Interestingly, Peter has engaged Callan Murray to ride the filly, and he has been riding superbly since arriving back in South African after his stint in Australia. Murray, who celebrated his 29th birthday last Saturday with a victory on Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Destiny Of Fire, rode Faithful Neo three runs back and that produced one of her victories.
On that occasion, she beat Gaelic Dancer going away by 0.50 lengths, so he is not going in cold this time.
A race later, Bronkhorst sends out six-year-old mare Time For Charity, who is currently in great form. Her last three starts have resulted in a win sandwiched between two places, both of them by less than a length.
Two runs back she beat highly regarded UK import Deal Maker by 0.50 lengths over 1000m and followed that up with a 0.75-length third to Royal Horizon.
In Race 5, she will contest a Classified Stakes over 1000m and looks ready to notch up another victory.
Jeffrey Syster rode her in both of her last two races and he will be back in the irons once again.
Value at the meeting could lie with Weichong Marwing-trained Annewithan E who lines up in Race 8, a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m.
This five-year-old William Longsword mare has a good record at the Vaal where she has run five times for two wins, a second and a fourth.
Her penultimate run over this course and distance resulted in a win and with Murray back in the irons she looks ready to score again.
Consistent Captain Of All mare Pretty Analia, a new addition to the Bronkhorst yard, could provide the main threat. The hard-knocking six-year-old has proven herself at this level of the handicap over distances ranging from 1000m to 1600m but it remains to be seen if she is as effective over the extended trip.
However, Bronkhorst's decision to refit a compression hood and ear-muffs to his new recruit could prove a masterstroke, given that Happy Analia has finished second four times in this headgear configuration.
Serino Moodley, who is having a good run on the Highveld, takes the ride.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 5 Redlightgreenlight, 6 World Order, 2 Seventh Fleet, 1 Mystic Vision
Race 2: 4 Lady Blunt, 6 Savara's Princess, 2 Scarlett Heart, 3 Rejuvenate
Race 3: 7 One Tiger, 2 Sea Wolf, 4 Mister Wilson, 5 Bumps Last Grind
Race 4: 4 Faithful Neo, 2 Global Thunder, 7 Valieva, 8 Clairwood Rose
Race 5: 7 Time For Charity, 8 Micke's Bomb, 3 In The Ether, 1 Nkandla Gold
Race 6: 5 Art Nouveau, 1 Twostep Queen, 2 Azaleas For All, 8 Play With Fire
Race 7: 3 Annewithan E, 5 Pretty Analia, 8 Kiss Of Fire, 2 Wagram
BEST BET
Race 4 No 4 Faithful Neo
VALUE BET
Race 7 No 3 Annewithan E
BEST SWINGER
Race 1 5x6
BIPOT
R72
Leg 1: 5, 6
Leg 2: 2, 4, 6
Leg 3: 2, 4, 7
Leg 4: 4
Leg 5: 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 5, 8
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R144
Leg 1: 5
Leg 2: 2, 4, 6
Leg 3: 2, 4, 7
Leg 4: 4
Leg 5: 7
Leg 6: 1, 2, 5, 8
Leg 7: 2, 3, 5, 8
PICK 6
R840
Leg 1: 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Leg 2: 2, 4, 5, 7
Leg 3: 4
Leg 4: 7
Leg 5: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11
JACKPOT 1
R24
Leg 1: 2, 4, 5, 7
Leg 2: 4
Leg 3: 7
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8
JACKPOT 2
R42
Leg 1: 4
Leg 2: 7
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11