Clive Robinson
Trainer Stuart Pettigrew could be the man to follow at the Vaal on Tuesday when he sends out three decent sorts in consecutive races.
In Race 3, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m on the Classic track Tulip Tree will be looking to turn around a defeat by Orarari Gold and she just may be able to do it.
When the pair first met (over 1400m) Orarari Gold who was more streetwise, having showed good speed in two sprints got first run on Tulip Tree. The latter got into the race late, finishing fastest, but was four lengths adrift at the finish.
Both have made massive improvement since, with Orarari Gold placing in both a Grade 1 and Grade 3 race over 1600m while Tulip Tree went the conventional route of going into, and winning, a handicap after her maiden win.
The fact Tulip Tree has a win over 1800m may give her the edge this time, but she should jump the bigger price based on the fact that she carries level weights with a horse rated 11 points higher than her.
Pettigrew also looks to have Silvano’s Song in the right race. He takes his place in Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1500m. While Silvano’s Song has been making good progress since his first start he did look to have his work cut out against a horse like Quixote who has finished runner-up in his last two starts. But the latter has drawn widest in stall No 14 while Silvano’s Song looks perfectly placed in gate No 3.
His last run when beaten more than seven lengths into third doesn’t look good on paper but it must be remembered that horses weren’t able to be worked due to incessant rain during that period and he may have been a casualty to this. Given a positive ride he could be hard to peg back.
The yard’s final runner, Cheringoma, who runs in Race 5, a MR 78 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1500m, disappointed somewhat after a flying start to her career. She is a daughter of top stayer Gorongosa and was expected be even better over stamina distances, but nobody told her that.
She was hiked up to a rating of 81 and battled for a few runs over distance until catching the eye last time over shorter, racing off a more manageable rating of 74.
She has also been racing against stronger opposition and now looks very well placed, and could just be the best of them.
