16:05 Vaal

Thursday 30 March 2023

All11:0011:3012:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5015:2516:05

Next Vaal Racemeeting Thursday 6 April Classified Stakes

Off time: 16:06 | Winning time: 1m 24.55s

(5)

Quandary⁶¹

Age: 4| Weight: 9-6| J: P Strydom| T: Gareth (jnr)

5/1

Winner at Kenilworth in November. 25/1, twelfth of 15 in handicap at Kenilworth (6f, good) 61 days ago. First run for yard after leaving G. H. Van Zyl. Enters calculations.

Form: 31930-0

(12)

Angel Of War²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 9-6| J: Philasande Mxoli| T: Paul Matchett| BF

7/2

Bit below form sixth of 16 in handicap at Turffontein (5.8f, good, 7/2) 26 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 1/0-3436

(14)

Blue Waters¹²

Age: 4| Weight: 9-2| J: G Lerena| T: Michael Nicholas Houdalakis

11/4

16/1, creditable fourth of 13 in handicap at Turffontein (5.5f, good) 12 days ago. Up in trip. Not taken lightly.

Form: 32544-4

(13)

Ballon D'or^b¹⁴

Age: 7| Weight: 9-2| J: J V'd Merwe| T: Barend / / Vosloo| OR: 78| D

33/1

Thirteen runs since last win in 2021. Eleventh of 12 in minor event at Turffontein (8f, good, 33/1) 14 days ago. Very hard to make a case for.

Form: 8585-80

(11)

Rain Or Shine³⁷⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-2| J: Gabriell Pieterse| T: Robyn Klaasen| D

5/1

Two wins from 2 runs last year. 33/10, won 8-runner handicap at Greyville (8f, AW). Off 12 months. First run for yard after leaving P. B. Muscutt. Difficult ask.

Form: 3/11-

(8)

Sage King⁷

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: Diego De Gouveia| T: Brett Crawford

15/2

Respectable fourth of 14 in handicap (10/1) at this course (7.2f, good) 7 days ago. Others more persuasive.

Form: 649-554

(10)

Princess Ilaria³²

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Craig Zackey| T: Fanie Bronkhorst| C

28/1

Course winner. Winner here in November. 14/1, last of 9 in handicap at Turffontein (7f, good) 32 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 2441-69

(4)

The Chosen One⁴⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Nathan Klink| T: Alec Laird| D

33/1

20/1, thirteenth of 14 in minor event at this course (7.2f, good) 49 days ago.

Form: 3166-90

(1)

Mescal²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: Kaidan Brewer| T: Fanie Bronkhorst| C

18/1

Course winner. Fifteen runs since last win in 2022. 33/1, seventh of 16 in handicap at Turffontein (5.8f, good) 26 days ago. Back up in trip. Difficult ask.

Form: 4-85957

(3)

After Hours^b¹²

Age: 6| Weight: 8-3| J: Ryan Munger| T: D Gray St John| CD

12/1

Course winner. 33/1, respectable fifth of 13 in handicap at Turffontein (5.5f, good) 12 days ago. Back up in trip.

Form: 6-53505

(2)

Big City Girl^b⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 7-12| J: Malesela Katjedi⁽³⁾| T: Corne Spies| C

8/1

4-time course winner. Twenty seven runs since last win in 2021. 16/1, ninth of 12 in handicap at Turffontein (8f, good) 9 days ago. First run for yard after leaving C. Spies. Shortlist material.

Form: 545249

(7)

Meet The Captain^b¹¹⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 7-12| J: Jarryd Penny| T: Stephen Moffatt| C

28/1

Course winner. Seventeen runs since last win in 2021. Third of 13 in minor event (33/1) at this course (6f, good). Off 119 days.

Form: 774863-

(15)

Three Hearts⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 7-12| J: Mathew Thackeray| T: Brett Webber

40/1

50/1, eighth of 11 in handicap at Turffontein (6f, good) 9 days ago.

Form: 80088-8

Non-Runners

(9)

Run For Cover²⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 4

T: Ashley Fortune J: A Domeyer

(6)

Indus Knight²⁸

Weight: 9-6| Age: 5

T: Candice Dawson J: K De Melo

Forecasts

Blue Waters (11/4), Angel Of War (7/2), Quandary (5/1), Rain Or Shine (5/1), Sage King (15/2), Big City Girl (8/1), Run For Cover (10/1), After Hours (12/1), Indus Knight (14/1), Mescal (18/1), Meet The Captain (28/1), Princess Ilaria (28/1), The Chosen One (33/1), Ballon D'or (33/1), Three Hearts (40/1)

BIG CITY GIRL looks marginally the best in this field but will need to be on-song. Blue Waters can't hope for much better than second, while Three Hearts shouldn't be discarded.