As part of the build-up to The Grand Heritage next month, the Vaal will host two races with a field of 28-runners on Tuesday .
The much-anticipated R750,000 affair, sponsored by World Sports Betting, will be run over 1475m at the same venue on 1 October. Three further supporting features, which are also set to host big fields, will supplement the day’s programme.
The last two races on the 20 September, a FM 64 1400m Handicap and a Maiden Plate over 1400m for three-year-old fillies, will add to the build-up towards The Grand Heritage and will invoke memories of the Vaal straight course in its original configuration.
Supplementary entries for The Grand Heritage close on September 19 with the final field set to be announced on Tellytrack two days later.
As part of the initial testing phase, the Vaal’s outside track, straight course, was widened for Tuesday’s meeting (13 September) with the track widened from the 1600m to 500m mark and then further widened with a 12m false rail to allow the fields to fan out in the closing stages.
While the new track setup for that meeting was made known to trainers before the meeting and the information disseminated on a number of platforms including the Tabonline website as well as www.sahorseracing.co.za under the Track Information Report section, there were some punters who may not have had access to this information.
It is regretted that this information was not communicated to those customers and a profuse apology has been offered for not advising those patrons accordingly.
On the note of the ‘middle rail’ which separates the Inside and Outside tracks, the rail is not always fixed and therefore moveable and can be utilised to spread wear and tear and facilitate maintenance. As a result of this we will endeavour to inform patrons via various platforms of the positioning of the rails that will demarcate the racing strip on the day, and also announce the positioning of the starting stalls for the relevant meeting to make it easier for patrons when studying form.
– Phumelela
