The card is mostly made up of open handicaps and healthy exotic bet dividends are almost guaranteed.
The only level weights race on the card comes in the first, a maiden sprint where Paul Gadsby sends out Sea Of Tears who is long overdue a win. She does not have the easiest draw but had been runner-up at her last three and should be capable of going one better. Jade’s Caberneigh will have her supporters with Peter Muscutt’s filly drawn in pole and in cracking form. The blinkers come off which may be a concern. Visiting Komesans Passion adds to the puzzle. She takes on older horses and has patchy Highveld form however, she has shown promise on occasion. The switch to poly and first time blinkers could see her home.
The handicaps start in the second where Garth Puller has pitted Addiena against males but she is back on her preferred surface, has a good draw and gets weight from all. She is super quick and could be difficult to catch. Love In Winter gives weight to all but Vaughan Marshall’s colt has had two warm-ups since arriving in the province. He has a wide draw to contend with but the switch to poly and first time blinkers could bring out the best. Justaguything has come good of late, is back on his preferred surface and could prove better over a furlong further but in his favour he has a handy weight and comes from a very much in form stable. Renaissance Man has the widest draw but did win his last two on the turf, the last time beating the smart Isivunguvungu. A six-point handicap increase and a wide draw could prove too much.
Puller is a master at placing his horses. Corsican shed his maiden over course and distance and then started trying further. He is back over a mile with a three-point drop in the handicap and should be competitive. Alyson Wright sends out the veteran galloper Caesura who has come to hand of late. He goes very well on the poly and with a 1.5kg allowance he should make another bold bid. Stable companion Ibutho has also been consistent and improve in blinkers last run. He has the best of the draw and Keagan de Melo aboard. Ice Kingdom has the widest draw and took on much stronger on the turf last time out. His best recent form has been on the poly but he does have a big weight even with a claiming apprentice up.
The fourth is another open handicap where Perfect Trust has her first outing for Carl Hewitson but she comes off a recent win in the Cape and has some steady form prior to that. She should take to the poly and could prove too tough for the opposition. Spring Kiss won first up in her local debut beating Fields of Green by four lengths and Glen Kotzen’s filly franking that form next time out. Imperious Destiny shed her maiden at third time of asking and can have more to come.
In the fifth, Quick Star has his third run after a break over what looks to be a more suitable trip and MJ Odendaal should have him at his peak. Exceeding Expectations looks held on his last run but does take a one-point drop in the handicap and a 1.5kg allowance from the saddle. Justfortheepenny is battling for his second win and found another too good for him las time out. But he has been consistent and should have a decent chance in this line-up. Hallerbos finished two lengths ahead of Exceed Expectations when last they met so it could be a toss-up between the two.
Puller cleverly had Petit Verdot take advantage of a drop in class when runner-up last time out. She meets a similar class field in the sixth and a repeat should see her in the firing line. Gelsomina was not far back when taking on stronger last time out although she did have a light weight. Wendy Whitehead’s filly gets a three-point drop in the handicap and Keagan de Melo aboard. Ideal Gift has been consistent and was not far back to stronger last time out while Malcom’s Dream has run two good races since returning from a break and was not far back on the poly last run but does have a wide draw.
In the seventh, Fateful Day and Fast Love met last time out at Turffontein with the former a length to the good. They meet on the same weight terms, both making their poly debut and both have inside draws so there should not be much between them again. Dean Kannemeyer saddles Maxiumus who has a wide draw to contend with along with a six-point hike in the handicap but is over his best course and distance. He may just be good enough to go in again. Beechamwood Boy is in cracking form but may have found his last start a tad on the sharp side. He goes an extra 300m here and if he sees it out he will be dangerous.
There is no let-up for punters in the last but Agressivo is drawn wide, has his third run after a break and should strip at his peak. He was touched off on the poly last run. There was less than a length separating Phaka Imali, Phinda Mzala and Anotherdayinafrica when last they met. Phinda Mzala ran into the speedball Valiente last time out and does appear to be better over a furlong shorter than in this race. Phaka Imali is at home over the trip with the best of the draw but Anotherdayinafrica with his 1.5kg claimer up could be the best weighted. His last run on the turf is best ignored as he had a tough draw on the turf and could prove to be the pick of the trio.
