Jack Milner
Trainer Tony Peter has some decent horses carded for the meeting at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday and will be hoping to pick up a feature or two at the Durban track.
Last year’s SA Derby winner, Son Of Raj, is reported to be doing well and along with Jubilee Stakes winner Meridius, will represent the stable in the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
However, they can set the tone for a big weekend with some really decent runners at the Vaal on Thursday and it will come as a surprise if they don’t pick up a winner or two.
Vibe SA can get them off to a flying start and finally crack his maiden in Race 1, a work riders’ Maiden Plate over 1200m.
This three-year-old gelding has been runner-up in all three of his starts since transferring to the Peter yard and the total distance of his defeats in all three starts only adds up to 0.90 lengths. He has not had the best of luck either especially in his penultimate when Calvin Habib lost his crop 350m from the line.
In his latest start at Hollywoodbets Greyville, he was backed all the way down to odds of 4-10 and lost that race by a head, however, he was reported to be restless and was carried in as well.
In this particular race, it will be the first time a work rider gets a chance to ride him and the man entrusted with the job is Chama Mabaya who has a good record in these work-rider series races and Vibe SA should win.
This is not the strongest of races and the main threat could come from his unraced stable companion, Sovereign Crown. However, on breeding, this son of Duke Of Marmalade will probably need a lot further than 1200m to give of his best.
Peter could also be leading in the winner of Race 2, a Maiden Juvenile Plate for fillies over 1700m.
Hat’s Queen, a daughter of Hat Puntano, has run two decent races so far and was unlucky not win her second outing. She had to avoid a loose horse in the race and was only beaten 0.40 lengths.
The slight increase in distance to 1700m should not trouble her and she will be ridden by stable jockey Calvin Habib.
These two runners are likely to be short in the betting but punters could get better value in Race 5, a MR 96 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m, where Peter saddles One Fell Swoop.
This three-year-old daughter of Lancaster Bomber has been contesting some strong feature races and will take a mighty drop in class this time.
She won the Grade 3 Betway National Currency Sprint over 1100m where she had Lucky Lad behind her, before going on to claim the Grade 3 Sycamore Sprint over 1160m, both races at Turffontein.
She then finished a 3.75-length fourth behind Mrs Browning in the Grade 2 Camelia Stakes over 1160m and then went down to Hollywoodbets Scottsville to contest the Grade 1 SA Fillies Sprint over 1200m.
Unfortunately, she stumbled at the start and that put an end of any chance she may have had.
On Fell Swoop is carded to carry 63.5kg but Peter has engaged useful 4kg-claiming apprentice Abdulla Al-Mansouri and that could make all the difference.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 1 Vibe SA, 11 Sovereign Crown, 3 Hat Man, 2 Rock Of Bismantova
Race 2: 5 Hat's Queen, 1 Bella's Charm, 3 Emblem Of The Sun, 7 Party Punch
Race 3: 6 Serrano, 3 I Belong, 7 Towers Of Gold, 5 Robert Browning
Race 4: 10 Komati River, 7 Cat O'Clock, 13 Willy Meet Again, 11 Sequestrate
Race 5: 1 One Fell Swoop, 7 Alesia's Love, 10 On Cue, 5 Wings Within Me
Race 6: 2 What A Lucy, 1 Where's The Party, 9 Micke's Bomb, 3 Phantom Express
Race 7: 4 Fushimi Inari, 7 Mocha Frappe, 5 Moola Man, 1 Majestic Palace
Race 8: 3 Grand Crescendo, 2 Putins Promise, 4 Sneak Preview, 5 Fast Duty
BEST BET
Race 1: 1 Vibe SA
VALUE BET
Race 5: 1 One Fell Swoop
BEST SWINGER
Race 3 3x6
BIPOT
R96
Leg 1: 1
Leg 2: 5
Leg 3: 3, 6
Leg 4: 7, 10, 13
Leg 5: 1, 5, 7, 10
Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 9
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R324
Leg 1: 5
Leg 2: 3, 6
Leg 3: 7, 10
Leg 4: 1, 7, 10
Leg 5: 1, 2, 9
Leg 6: 4, 7, 9
Leg 7: 2, 3, 4
PICK 6
R2304
Leg 1: 3, 6, 7
Leg 2: 7, 10, 13
Leg 3: 1, 5, 7, 10
Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 9
Leg 5: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 6: 2, 3, 4, 5
JACKPOT 1
R192
Leg 1: 7, 10, 13
Leg 2: 1, 5, 7, 10
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 9
Leg 4: 1, 4, 5, 7
JACKPOT 2
R256
Leg 1: 1, 5, 7, 10
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 9
Leg 3: 1, 4, 5, 7
Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 5