Soma set for Vaal double

Jack Milner

Trainer Joe Soma has been in good form of late and the stable can team up with Muzi Yeni and have a lucrative double at the Vaal on Tuesday.

Soma sends out Brave Viking in Race 7 and Walled Garden in Race 8, and they form an official TAB double.

Brave Viking lines up in a MR 96 Handicap over the straight 1400m and comes off two excellent runs when analysed carefully.

The four-year-old son of William Longsword raced against Mid Winter Wind in a Middle Stakes over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside track and had to give 1.5kg to Sean Tarry’s charge. Mid Winter Wind went off to KwaZulu-Natal and went on to win the Grade 3 Byerley Turk and followed that up with a 2.05-length fifth in the Grade 2 WSB Guineas over 1600m and then landed the same position in the Grade 1 Daily 2000, both races won by boom horse Green With Envy.

From that race, Brave Viking contested a MR 96 Handicap over 1450m on the Inside track at Turffontein and finished a one-length second behind Money Heist.

That was the first time Yeni picked up the ride and more significantly, Brave Viking was backed from 8-1 to start at 4-1 so a good run was expected.

A race later Walled Garden contests a MR 74 Handicap over 1200m and this is quite a competitive event. This four-year-old Flower Alley gelding also comes off two good runs, finishing a 1.30-length fourth to Grape Shot over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track and then a 0.70-length third to Whorly Whorly over 1400m at the Vaal.

Last time Walled Garden lost ground at the start and was also reported to be making a respiratory noise.

This is the first time Yeni takes the ride and they have the benefit of a No 15 draw in a large field.

Fabian Habib has enjoyed a fair degree of success with a relatively small string, and he has some decent runners on this card.

In fact, he could get everybody off to a winning start as he sends out Erupt youngster Seventeen Again in Race 1, a work rider’s Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1000m. This two-year-old filly was the subject of betting interest on debut over this distance on debut last time and should justified that market support by finishing an encouraging second behind The Navy Lark, beaten 2.25 lengths.

She would have come on appreciably with the benefit of that run so is good value to open her account in the opener over the same course and distance of her promising introduction.

Habib's charge made her debut in a work riders’ race under Siyabonga Mkhumbuzi who, unsurprisingly, retains the ride aboard Seventeen Again in a similar contest.

Race 3 is the first leg of the Pick 6 and this Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m is dominated by some well-bred first-timers.

One could play safe in the Pick 6 because there are only six raced runners in this 16-horse field so it could be wise to take those six runners, as the rules state that if a first-timer wins, the first raced horse will also count in that exotic.

So, just six runners give you the entire field.

Also, for the record, the two reserve runners are also first-timers so if they get into the field it won’t impact on the bet.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 12 Seventeen Again, 1 Gold Agent, 9 Bellissivar, 2 Golden Argo

Race 2: 7 Komati River, 1 Amanatto, 3 Basked In Glory, 13 Radiant Heat

Race 3: 1 Antonio Gaudi, 3 Chili Bomb, 16 Valieva, 14 Spy Story

Race 4: 5 What A Lucy, 14 Green Lightning, 11 Johnny Appleseed, 13 Tiger Storm

Race 5: 2 Quick Trip, 7 Kinshin Sha, 6 Nkandla Gold, 5 Stormy Seas

Race 6: 5 Putins Promise, 3 Leeson, 9 Laughing William, 1 Mocha Frappe

Race 7: 8 Brave Viking, 3 Wyzeact, 1 Paisley Park, 9 Fully Loaded

Race 8: 9 Walled Garden, 1 Munchkin, 11 Raining Rubies, 10 After Hours

BEST BET

Race 1: 12 Seventeen Again

VALUE BET

Race 7: 8 Brave Viking

BEST SWINGER

Race 4 5x14

BIPOT

R192

Leg 1: 12

Leg 2: 1, 3, 7, 13

Leg 3: 1, 3, 14, 16

Leg 4: 5, 14

Leg 5: 2, 7

Leg 6: 3, 6, 9

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R243

Leg 1: 1, 3, 7

Leg 2: 1, 3, 16

Leg 3: 5

Leg 4: 2

Leg 5: 3, 5, 9

Leg 6: 1, 3, 8

Leg 7: 1, 9, 11

PICK 6

R2304

Leg 1: 1, 4, 9, 14, 15, 16

Leg 2: 5, 14

Leg 3: 2, 5, 6, 7

Leg 4: 3, 5, 9

Leg 5: 1, 3, 8, 9

Leg 6: 1, 9, 11

JACKPOT 1

R96

Leg 1: 5, 14

Leg 2: 2, 5, 6, 7

Leg 3: 3, 5, 9

Leg 4: 1, 3, 8, 9

JACKPOT 2

R192

Leg 1: 2, 5, 6, 7

Leg 2: 3, 5, 9

Leg 3: 1, 3, 8, 9

Leg 4: 1, 9, 11