Tsar to blow them away at the Vaal

Jack Milner

Johan Janse van Vuuren has his yard on a winning roll right now and he can add another victory to his tally with Tsar Bomba at the Vaal Classic track on Thursday.

The Gimmethegreenlight gelding lines up in Race 2, a MR 95 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1450m.

Tsar Bomba has only run twice, winning by 5.25 lengths on debut over 1200m on the Inside track at Turffontein and then finishing a 4.50-length third behind stablemate Moonshiningthrough over the same course and distance in his second start.

He was well supported last time to go off at 13-10 but lost ground at the start and the race just got way from him.

But while some may see that run as disappointing, there were many positives for supporters of Tsar Bomba to take out of that race. The two runners who finished ahead of him both produced excellent follow up performances.

Winner Moonshiningthrough went on to win his next start, beating best-weighted 9-10 favourite Desert Miracle by a neck while second-placed Swing Upon A Star ran third behind Tamarisk Tree and Quantum Theory in a Graduation Plate over 1400m.

The distance should prove no barrier for Tsar Bomba as his dam, Work Ethic, won her races over 1800m and 2000m.

Log-leading jockey Keagan de Melo takes the ride.

The main threat should come from Rule By Force trained by Joe Soma. He too has only run twice for a win on debut and a 0.60-length third behind After Hours over 1450m. Both his runs were also on the Turffontein Inside track.

Rule By Force lost ground at the start in both his races and that surely cost him a second win last time as he made up ground hand over fist in the closing stages. That form has also been franked as fifth-placed Irontail came out to win his next start.

The handicappers have appraised Tsar Bomba’s performances more highly as he is rated six points higher, but that means he will be giving Rule By Force 3kg.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 12 World's Best, 5 Ngokushesha, 8 Quixote, 4 Kambulu

Race 2: 4 Tsar Bomba, 6 Rule By Force, 3 Star Coin, 2 Acorn

Race 3: 3 Last Cheer, 1 Mirren, 9 Ponderosa Pine, 5 Cape Bouquet

Race 4: 3 San Quintin, 2 Player, 8 Parker Getrix, 7 Apache Fighter

Race 5: 2 Whafeef, 7 Kotinos, 6 Leopold, 1 Reunion

Race 6: 2 Electric Gold, 10 Eye Of The Prophet, 6 Tirpitz, 1 Tabebuia

Race 7: 1 Iphiko, 4 Rozara, 3 Big Eyed Girl, 7 Show Time

Race 8: 1 Rose For Trippi, 7 Lil Miss Moneybags, 2 Silver Winter, 10 Looking Hot

Race 9: 4 Admiralty Arch, 5 Funky Music, 7 Stolen Thunder, 6 Irontail

BEST BET

Race 2 No 4 Tsar Bomba

VALUE BET

Race 9 No 4 Admiralty Arch

BEST SWINGER

Race 2 4x6

BIPOT

R144

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 1, 3, 5, 9

Leg 3: 2, 3

Leg 4: 2, 6, 7

Leg 5: 2, 6, 10

Leg 6: 1, 4

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R216

Leg 1: 1, 3, 9

Leg 2: 2, 3

Leg 3: 2, 6, 7

Leg 4: 2, 10

Leg 5: 1

Leg 6: 1, 7

Leg 7: 4, 5, 7

PICK 6

R1728

Leg 1: 2, 3, 8

Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 7

Leg 3: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 4: 1, 4

Leg 5: 1, 2, 7

Leg 6: 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13

JACKPOT 1

R96

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 7

Leg 2: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 3: 1, 4

Leg 4: 1, 2, 7

JACKPOT 2

R144

Leg 1: 1, 2, 6, 10

Leg 2: 1, 4

Leg 3: 1, 2, 7

Leg 4: 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13