Jack Milner
One will have to go back to December last year to find the last time Vars Vicky raced over 1000m but it is hard to find a reason why Stuart Pettigrew’s charge should not be able to win over the minimum trip.
Vars Vicky lines up in the Grade 3 Lebelo Sprint on Saturday and based on his recent form, the five-year-old gelding is the runner they all have to beat.
This son of Var won the Grade 2 Senor Santa Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein but then, after a moderately successful venture to KwaZulu-Natal for their winter season, lost his form.
However, that all changed once Pettigrew fitted his charge in blinkers and since then he has won two of his last four races, including the Grade 3 Merchants, again over 1160m at Turffontein.
He does tend to produce a sustained run late in a race which might be why he has produced his best form over further than 1000m. In fact, his last venture over that distance was last year in this race where he finished 11th of the 13 runners.
In fairness, he was not at his best at that point so he does deserve another chance. It is also worth noting that jockey Randall Simons has ridden him twice, the first time in January 2021 when he ran a 0.20-length second behind Paisley Park over 1400m and then again in the Merchants, which he won. Simons, it seems, knows how to get the best out of Vars Vicky and he will be back aboard on Saturday.
Miss Daisy has been racing over further of late but the Billy Ruiters-trained three-year-old has been taking on the best fillies in the province. She won the Grade 3 Starling Stakes over 1400m and then either found the company too strong or she did not see out 1600m last time when finishing a five-length sixth behind Gimme A Shot in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.
Her record over 1000m is quite decent with a win and a second place from two runs. Even though she will be taking on the colts, she carries just 52kg and should contest the finish.
Vaseem is a winner of six of his 28 races but none has been over 1000m. However, he has run seven times over the distance and has yet to finish out of the places.
As a result, Roy Magner’s charge should be thereabouts in the closing stages so it could be worth taking some Swingers with him and he is a must for Trifectas and Quartets. Raymond Danielson takes the ride.
Magner also sends out three-year-old colt Taikonaut, who comes off a courageous victory in the Non-Black Type Sophomore 1000 for three-year-olds over 1000m at the Vaal. The son of Twice Over had to dig deep to keep the attentions of a rejuvenated Karangetang at bay by 0.25 lengths.
He takes a jump in class for this event and on paper is facing an uphill battle as he is 3.5kg under sufferance. However, he is also carrying 6kg less than last time and has Muzi Yeni back in the irons.
In addition, Taikonaut could be better than his current merit rating 101.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 2 Trois Trois Quatre, 4 Main Mission, 9 Queen Britanna, 5 Nuclear Force
Race 2: 2 Bon Vivant, 3 Maharanee, 1 Sweet Pepper, 4 Alula's Star
Race 3: 6 Lady Of Power, 4 Aga Heat, 5 Silver Winter, 7 Love Bite
Race 4: 2 Red Saxon, 7 Perfect Witness, 3 Second Base, 4 Sovereign Spirit
Race 5: 2 Pragmatist, 1 Bonete, 8 Midnight Crystal, 7 Futurewolff
Race 6: 7 Tamarisk Tree, 8 Fostinovo, 1 Raffles, 6 Star Coin
Race 7: 2 Vars Vicky, 6 Miss Daisy, 5 Vaseem, 7 Taikonaut
Race 8: 8 Flowerbomb, 5 Marengo, 3 Sheldon, 6 Herecomestherain
Race 9: 1 In The Beginning, 5 Lil Miss Moneybags, 2 Second Breath, 8 There She Goes
BEST BET
Race 4 No 2 Red Saxon
VALUE BET
Race 7 No 2 Vars Vicky
BEST SWINGER
Race 5 1x2
BIPOT
R288
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3
Leg 2: 4, 5, 6
Leg 3: 2
Leg 4: 1, 2
Leg 5: 1, 6, 7, 8
Leg 6: 2, 5, 6, 7
PLACE ACCUMULATOR
R216
Leg 1: 4, 6
Leg 2: 2
Leg 3: 1, 2
Leg 4: 1, 7, 8
Leg 5: 2, 5, 6
Leg 6: 5, 8
Leg 7: 1, 2, 5
PICK 6
R960
Leg 1: 2
Leg 2: 1, 2
Leg 3: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 5: 3, 5, 8
Leg 6: 1, 2, 5, 8480
JACKPOT 1
R240
Leg 1: 1, 2
Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 4: 3, 5, 8
JACKPOT 2
R480
Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Leg 2: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7
Leg 3: 3, 5, 8
Leg 4: 1, 2, 5, 8