12:00 Vaal

Tuesday 24 January 2023

All10:1510:5011:2512:0012:3513:1013:4014:1014:4015:10

Gauteng Guineas Day 4 February Graduation Plate

Off time: 12:00 | Winning time: 1m 8.98s

(6)

Swing Upon A Star¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: G Lerena| T: Sean Tarry| D

4/6

Respectable second of 6 in minor event (9/4) at this course (5f, good) 12 days ago. Form choice.

Form: 23123-2

(3)

Tsar Bomba⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: K De Melo| T: Johan J Vuuren| C| D

7/4

Course winner. Two wins from 4 runs last year. Latest win here in November. 56/100, third of 6 in handicap at Turffontein (7f, good to soft) 49 days ago.

Form: 1313-

(7)

Expeditioner⁶⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-5| J: Kabelo Matsunyane| T: Candice Dawson| D

12/1

Latest win at Greyville in July. Last of 9 in handicap (6/1) at Turffontein (7f, good) 67 days ago.

Form: 212149-

(1)

Texas Red²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-5| J: Malesela Katjedi⁽⁶⁾| T: Ashley Fortune| CD

18/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in October. 5/2, sixth of 7 in handicap at this course (5f, good) 28 days ago.

Form: 131636-

(4)

Stroke Of Mercy¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-0| J: M Yeni| T: Corrie Lensley| D

20/1

Career best when winning 13-runner maiden at Turffontein (5.8f, good, 5/1) 14 days ago. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 33883-1

(2)

Angel Of War¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 9-0| J: R Simons| T: Paul Matchett| D

18/1

Very good third of 9 in handicap (25/1) at Turffontein (5.8f, good) 14 days ago.

Form: 3341/0-3

(8)

Mix The Magic^b²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-5| J: Jeffery Syster| T: Phillip Labuschagne| CD

50/1

C&D winner. Respectable fifth of 11 in handicap (14/1) at this course (7.2f, soft) 26 days ago. Uphill task.

Form: 553705-

Non-Runners

(5)

Lil Miss Moneybags¹²

Weight: 9-0| Age: 4

T: Ashley Fortune J: Ryan Munger

Forecasts

Swing Upon A Star (4/6), Tsar Bomba (7/4), Lil Miss Moneybags (10/1), Expeditioner (12/1), Texas Red (18/1), Angel Of War (18/1), Stroke Of Mercy (20/1), Mix The Magic (50/1)

SWING UPON A STAR can't really be opposed and jumps off the page as the most likely winner. Tsar Bomba is another who could play a role, while Expeditioner is not out of it for third place.