It’s not often that a horse achieves his career-high merit rating at the age of six, but that is exactly where Twin Turbo finds himself when he lines up in Race 6, a MR96 Handicap over 1800m at the Vaal on Thursday 10 August.
Rated 87, this Flower Alley-gelding loves racing – so much so that he usually plays catch-me-if-you-can whenever he gets the opportunity to step onto a track.
Not one to sit back, Fabian Habib’s charge is a pleasure to watch as he goes guns blazing from the moment the gates crash open. Holding him back and trying to sit handy, is not what this frontrunner enjoys, so hopefully jockey Calvin Habib will give him the opportunity to run the race his way.
If Habib does give Twin Turbo a free rein, it won’t come as a surprise if he records an eighth career win.
With two wins and a third-placed finish from three attempts over the course the distance, Twin Turbo looks perfectly positioned to reward connections.
He most definitely looks the value bet in Race 6 on the nine-race card.
With the preceding five races reserved for maidens, some hard knockers can be backed with a relative sense of confidence, but they won’t turn bettors into billionaires.
In Race 1, a Work Riders Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m, Teo Torriatte will probably jump at very short odds, with reason.
This daughter of The United States finished a commendable third last time out despite stumbling at the start. Any improvement will see her take the honours in a rather weak field, even without any luck in running.
Work Rider Chamu Mabaya will also be brimming with confidence after steering 20-1 long shot World Heritage to victory last time he got an opportunity to strut his stuff on 25 July.
Mabaya boasts two wins and a further six place finishes in his last ten work rider races.
Wilkies, who ran second to World Heritage, gets a chance to make amends in Race 2, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m.
Well supported recently, this four-year-old filly trained by St John Gray has been trying her heart out and will be a deserved winner at the fifteenth time of asking. Dakota Cat seems her biggest danger, but this daughter of Lancaster Bomber seems to have made a habit of fading out when it matters, so Wilkies looks set for success.
In Race 3, over 1200m, Candice Dawson’s King’s Ransom should cruise in. By Danon Platina, this gelding was more than just impressive on debut when jumping at odds of 10-1 but finishing second to Wyzeact.
Expect even money this time round.
Clive Robinson
