Vaal Sand Thursday..

The main race is very interesting full of if`s and buts....

If Winters Song stays? if Captain Scott takes to the surface? etc etc

Prolan in the 1st.

STEPHANIE R1
FORT WILLIAM R5
INN ON THE SQUARE R7

Can someone (or more - confirm, deny, comment as appropriate please -
is the Vaal sand course not one where the form book can be thrown out the window to an extent with winners not infrequently coming in at big prices, and no hopers popping up more frequently than on other courses? or has this idea lodged in my mind unfairly?
If it is true, has anyone got any tips for factors to pay a little more attention to when studying form?

Frodo is the man

Hell seeing that I'm the 'man', I'd better comment; firstly I think if you're looking for stats on the Vaal sand, The Happy Horseplayer's your 'man'.

Imo, I have not found the Vaal Sand prone to throwing up more 'winners at big prices' - my 'feeling' is that the results on the Vaal Sand would prove much more conssistent than the results from PE for one and Scotsville for another - however that's just my feeling - to get a realistic pointer one would have to analyze the results (say for the last 6 months to a year) from each center

Haven't really studied yet for today - waiting for the final scratchings - but the obvious two bankers in the PA would be Mr Tobin in the first leg and Mildford in the last. The first race is a 1000 down the straight, so maybe watch the race to see if the rain in the last week has led to any sort of draw bias - at least to use as a pointer in the 4th - the only other race down the straight

More later

Englander Wrote:

---

> Can someone (or more - confirm, deny, comment
> as appropriate please -
> is the Vaal sand course not one where the form
> book can be thrown out the window to an extent
> with winners not infrequently coming in at big
> prices, and no hopers popping up more frequently
> than on other courses? or has this idea lodged in
> my mind unfairly?
> If it is true, has anyone got any tips for factors
> to pay a little more attention to when studying
> form?


The Happy Horseplayer is usually the best on the Sand surface he has a rating system which works very well. (tu)

Frodo's analysis is also excellent.

The Happy Horseplayer Wrote:

---

> STEPHANIE R1
> FORT WILLIAM R5
> INN ON THE SQUARE R7


Thanks Happy Horseplayer, played a place treble on these 3 and got 11,36/1. Saves me studying today. (tu)

Race 2 have Pierre Striker Strydom riding Art Wish, in with a chance or is Mr Tobin the ultimate sand horse? Will we recoup some of our losses with Goose Valley in Race 5?

The musketeer imho is a top sand horse..will beat MR Tobin..

He will win,imho.

He is a top sort..on the sand 2/2 and over 1200m and won the emerald cup over 1450m..

1600m will be is ultimate trip, but I feel if given a chance he will run a cracker, as well he can run start to finish,which will help on this course if there is a bad kickback.. MR Tobin way2 short

Englander,to try to answer your question,the Vaal sand is never the same 2 meetings in a row...........the course can run fast(relatively) one meeting and slow the next.............it suits different horses differently and therefore the form is as inconsistent as the surface.
The only way to try to beat it, is to record which horses perform on which and use the first race or two to gauge the speed..........A lot of work and I am not sure the No. of meetings makes it worthwhile!

(BTW Solotrama tends to keep this data and can probably help after the "speed" of the day is assessed.........ask him nicely.....lol)

What do the clan make of race 3 ?