Avid form players have plenty to get their teeth into at the Vaal on Tuesday 30 September.
Bellerophon should start things off nicely as hot favourite in the opener for trainer Fabian Habib, who also sends out unbeaten Taegan’s Champ after a long spell off the track in the best race of the day.
Bellerophon confirmed a fair debut, showing stamina in testing conditions, when only just touched off by up-and-coming Amazon Queen (in receipt of 3kgs) over 1600m at the same venue last week. He lines up in a 1500m Work Riders Maiden with a field low on form. He’ll be difficult to beat.
Both Duchess Of Paloma and Magic Carpet Ride return after a rest, so it could be worth rather siding with Paul Matchett’s four-year-old Iconic Winter in Race 2. She had been knocking hard at home before taking a trip to KwaZulu-Natal where she seemed to have run a slightly disappointing fourth.
But a closer look suggests it was a creditable performance. Not only did she have to make the trip, but she met males giving weight to most including the first three finishers.
Buddy Boy, who finished 1.2-lengths ahead of her, came out to win by 6 lengths straight after. This may also be a race to catch swingers, trifectas and quartets as Duchess Of Paloma and Magic Carpet Ride have decent form and should be right there at the business end.
Corne Spies sends out highly regarded African Pride for his seasonal debut in Race 4, a 1200m Maiden Plate and this race could be another humdinger.
At first glance Monkey Puzzle, who has met some flashy sorts, looks the one. In his last start he finished a solid second behind Candice Dawson trained Trust who looks a horse for the classics.
But African Pride could be yet another to give him a hard time. The monster sized Rafeef gelding was, after a promising debut, tried in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion where he didn’t shine but he could be ready to battle after given time to mature. This exacta bet rates a solid option here.
Another potential exacta comes up in Race 6 where two promising fillies should fight it out over 1000m.
Vercingetorix filly Alpine Jet should be hard to outpace but Paradise Way was more than fluent last time and carries a full 7.5kg less so it could get close.
Taegan’s Champ is a rare horse unbeaten in three starts and has always had a sparkling reputation but there are question marks as he has been off for just two under two years and there are plenty with chances in Race 7, a MR100 Handicap over 1400m.
Pressonregardless has been hard to peg back winning two in a row and being super fit could see him back in the winners enclosure. This is, however, a race to include many in exotic bets.
Clive Robinson
