The Vaal has a low key nine race meeting on Thursday but punters will be looking to “fill their wallies” before Saturday’s much anticipated Peermont Emporor’s Palace Charity Mile meeting.

The highest class race on the day is the second, a Graduation Plate for fillies and mares over 1000m.

It is an intriguing race because the best weighted horse, Rebel To The Fore, faces the year younger Gr 1 runner up Seattle Singer. Rebel To The Fore was last seen in action at Greyville in July last year in the Gr 2 Debutante Stakes and caught the eye with a powerful finish after being dropped out to last from a high draw. She failed by just 0,5 lengths to catch the useful Cosmic Light and was two lengths clear of the rest, which included the like of Lala. She will likely be fit enough coming from the yard of champion trainer Sean Tarry. She is 4,5kg better off with Seattle Singer on official merit ratings. She showed enough speed to win over 1000m on debut and can do well over the trip again running fresh.

The low draws are favourable on this course by trends, so her draw of four in a six horse field is tricky but she will likely be dropped in behind them. Seattle Singer is ultra-consistent and showed her class when finishing runner up, beaten three lengths, in the Gr 1 Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion over 1200m against the boys. In her last start she was undone by a low draw on Grand Heritage day. She has speed, as she showed in that last start when only caught late, and has the plum draw of one here. She is the selection to win despite having a hard task on paper as she will be the more race fit of the two main protagonists.

Water Lily Lake hasn’t run since this year’s Debutante Stakes at Greyville. She was dropped out from a wide draw and stayed on fairly well to be beaten 4,45 lengths. She might appreciate the step down in trip, but doesn’t look to have quite the same class as her stablemate Rebel To The Fore. She is officially 6kg under sufferance with the latter, but should fill the last trifecta position as the other three runners are all hopelessly out at the weights.

The best bet on the card comes in the last race, a Maiden for fillies and mares over 1400m. The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Australian-bred High Chaparral filly Being Fabulous looked full of class when making her debut over 1200m on the Turffontein Inside track from a high draw. She was caught a bit out of her ground, but her long stride caught the eye in the run in and it would be no surprise to see her contesting the classics this season. She has a fair draw of seven and will relish this step up in trip. Gavin Lerena has stayed aboard.

The hard knocking Rouge Allure looks to be the main danger, but on visual appearances does not look as classy as the selection. The Mike de Kock-trained Western Winter filly Oh My Darling could also prove to be a classy sort in time. On debut over this trip on the Turffontein Inside track she was caught flat footed in the straight before staying on well for third against a decent field. That was not surprising as she is out of the Fort Wood filly Sweetie Pie, who won the Gr 2 Gold Circle Oaks over 2400m. She is likely to find this a touch sharp again, although she should be finishing strongly and could be a threat running fresh.

The seventh, a MR80 handicap over 1800m, is an intriguing MR 80 Handicap over 1800m. Analyse This ran in the Grand Heritage and the 1475m trip there always appeared to be too sharp. It was thus a surprise to see him hitting the front 400m out. However, he was run out of it. On pedigree he should actually be a speedster, but it is his action which suggests he will enjoy this trip. It will be interesting to see if he does get it and from a plum draw of two with Gavin Lerena up he is the selection to beat Bold Rex and Trip To Troy.

Bold Rex won last time out over 1600m in his second run after gelding. The Bold Silvano youngster won extending at the line so should love this rip, but a four points raise has taken him to an 89 merit rating, which is never easy for a young three-year-old to win off against older horses, even if the weight for age scale gives them due compensation. Trip To Troy was also given a four point raise for a running on win over 1600m and Strydom has remained aboard. However, it will be tough from a wide draw.

In the following race over 1400m Strydom has remained aboard Refuge, who is an up and coming sort with a touch of class. He gets a good draw, unlike last time. He is selected to carry topweight to victory, despite being a three-year-old against older horses, as he looks to be capable of progressing further.

The first race is an interesting one and Osculation, who ran well on Grand Heritage day, is selected to upset Claremorris, who had the run of the race from a good draw last time and now has a tricky draw.

The third is also a tough one, but the interesting horse is Grand Heritage winner Irish Pride’s half-sister Cathedral Country. This Trippi filly has the plum number one draw in the 1200m contest with Anthony Delpech up, so it would be no surprise to see getting off to a winning start.

David Thiselton