Jack Milner: Horses for courses is a common saying in horseracing circles and that idiom could be tested in Race 6 at the Vaal on Tuesday when they race on the Classic track.
Bartholdi and Namib Desert clash again in this MR 94 Handicap over 1600m and on the form of their last meeting there is no debate that Bartholdi is weighted to repeat the victory.
Trained by Mike and Adam Azzie, Bartholdi beat Paul Peter’s charge by 1.50 lengths in their only meeting, which was over 1500m.
Bartholdi has not raced since that meeting, but Peter chose to run Namib Desert in the WSB Gauteng Guineas over 1600m last month. He finished seventh, beaten 9.70 lengths by Malmoos, and astonishingly was penalised 2kg for that run.
That means when he faces Bartholdi again, they will meet at the identical weight differential and that obviously favours the Azzie-trained Act Of War gelding.
Prior to the Guineas, Peter admitted he was throwing Namib Desert into the deep end. “He’s beautifully bred – by Silvano out of Welwitschia – but is still immature. The penny hasn’t dropped yet.”
He added that they were hoping he could run a place “or at least a good run” but then said he should be better over further.
His only hope is that the change of track could work in his favour. Their last meeting was on the Turffontein Inside track, which suits some runners more than others. This time they will both be racing on the Vaal Classic for the first time and that might help level the playing fields slightly.
However, common sense tells one Bartholdi remains the runner to beat.
S’manga Khumalo reprises his role on Bartholdi while Warren Kennedy gets aboard Namib Desert for the first time.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 4 Wonderous, 6 Way To Dream, 2 Offsides, 15 Munabadha
Race 2: 1 Curvation, 6 She’s A Cracker, 3 Ocean Forest, 4 Smiley River
Race 3: 6 Cash Time, 1 Captain Chorus, 2 Zeal And Zest, 3 Barak
Race 4: 3 Ice Eater, 4 Gemcutter, 1 Galactic Warrior, 13 Alex The Great
Race 5: 8 May Queen, 7 Mind Reader, 2 Greens, 10 Upcloseandpersonal