The Vaal has an eight race meeting on the Classic track on Thursday where races of 1200m and upward are around the turn.

The highest rated race on the card is the sixth, a MR 80 Handicap over 1600m, and the selection here is Odd Rob. This relatively lightly raced five-year-old Mambo In Seattle gelding was tried with blinkers off last time but it didn’t work as he didn’t put it in up the straight having apparently travelled comfortably up until then. The blinkers are duly back on. He has won over 2400m before but the last time he tried this trip he won from a wide draw over the Turffontein Inside track. He is nine points higher in the merit ratings now but does have a plum draw. He has been lowered two points for his last two runs and he had an excuse in his penultimate start as he was cramped for running room close to home. Top Shot represents the in-form Gary Alexander yard. He is dropped back to the trip of his last win having been a bit disappointing in three runs from 1800-2000m.

Furthermore he has been dropped to a merit rating off which he is proven effective. He lost narrowly off this mark over this distance on the Turffontein Inside track in April and he has a similarly wide draw here. Man’s Inn is a capable and consistent sort who can never be ignored over his favourite one mile trip, although he does now have to overcome a four point raise for his last win. Arpad is knocking on the door off this merit rating and a similarly wide draw over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track didn’t bother him last time, so he should be running on again after being dropped out. Raise The Red won the last time he ran over this course and distance and the form has been franked, so he could be concerned in the finish despite being four points higher.

The best bet on the card could be Lakahal, who runs in the second race, a MR 64 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m. This horse has pace coupled with a kick and Andrew Fortune remains aboard having won on her over this trip last time. She was only given a three point raise despite the cosy nature of the win and this field is as uninspiring. The danger could be Linda Honey, who will love the current fast going conditions. She has pace and showed last time she can find extra at the finish too if necessary as she produced a late effort to upset her more fancied stablemate Captain’s Girl. Angie Bee stayed on to be just a length behind Lakahal when they last met and she is now 1,5kg better off. Her last run can have a line drawn through it as she was 2,5kg under sufferance in a stronger event.

The value bet could be the Flamingo Park raider Arctic Route in the last race, a MR 64 handicap for fillies and mares over 1800m. This six-year-old Solskjaer mare was never tried beyond a mile until July this year and she duly won on the Flamingo sand over 1800m. Last time out she was tried over 2200m and ran a decent third despite being 2kg under sufferance off her 52 merit rating. She now returns to the turf off a merit rating of 60, one point lower than her last turf win, which was over 1400m at the Vaal last June. She has a fair draw of six and Randall Simons is up. Bankable’s progeny seem to improve with age and Banking April is such a horse, so she is the selection to win this race from a plum draw over a suitable trip. She is 3kg better off with the pole position drawn Shankly gates for a 2,1 length beating over this trip in July, so there won’t be much in it. Others to consider besides the aforementioned trio are Blue Sage and Indzaba. Blue Sage stayed on to finish close over 2000m last time and was lowered one point by the handicapper so should be competitive with Gavin Lerena up.  Indzaba was further back in that race but went close over this trip before that so will likely appreciate the slight step down in distance. She is off the same merit rating as that 1800m race, but on the downside has a much tougher draw.

The most interesting clash of the day is between Captain’s Girl and Levi Lady in the third, a fillies and mares maiden over 1000m. Captain’s Girl is still quite unexposed so could well make sudden improvement over an ideal distance as she has plenty of pace. However, Levi Lady now gets the draw in her favour after going close in two starts when the draw was against her. She has shown blistering speed since blinkers were applied but in both those starts from high draws she hung inward right across the course in the closing stages and this probably cost her at least one victory. She now has a low draw and the rail will help her stay straight. It will be an intriguing contest and this pair look to have the race to themselves.

The fourth race, a MR 68 Handicap over 1000m, also sees an intriguing clash. Just Africa is ultra speedy and will relish the fast going conditions. Furthermore, he has dropped to a competitive merit rating. However, Flight Zone showed good cruising speed last time and won as he liked. The form of his last two runs in the maidens over this trip has worked out well and he could well rise above his current merit rating of 78, although it is never easy for a young three-year-old first up in a handicap against older horses. Movie Show could pick up the pieces if the first two choices fluff their lines.

In the fifth race, a MR 64 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m around the turn, Miss Argentina is competitive off her current merit rating, which is nearly 20 points lower than her highest career rating and from a plum draw of two, with the same 4kg claimer aboard who went close on her last time, she could defy topweight. However, it’s a competitive event and all of Ladies Club, Riverine Forest, Beckoning and Chartwell also need to be considered.

The Northern Cape Horse Of The Year Lebeoana runs in the seventh, a MR 72 handicap over 1800m. The key to him is a galloping track, as he proved when winning on the Turffontein Standside track last time over this trip. He is unbeaten in three starts with Ryan Munger up and can follow up off just a three point higher merit rating.

David Thiselton