The Vaal Saturday

Discuss the card below

not sure the track will be this fast with 83mm of rain this week

General Information as at 12 December 15:43
Weather Forecast: @08h00: Partly Cloudy;
Rain 24 Hours: 14mm Rain 7 Days: 83mm Pen Reading: 22
Irrigation 24 Hours: Nil Irrigation 7 Days: Nil Track Cond.: Good
False Rail Pos.: 3m out from 1500m to 1000m

can anyone confirm the going?

Race 9: if Cellarmaster is sound, then he should win again. Brave Vision and Barbel Run the dangers.
Race 5: Seventh Symphony to beat River Empress
Race 4: Big Bucks good debut. Should win here.
Race 3: Fort Meyers good debut should win
Race 2: exacta French Navy and Rakes Chestnut

This is a type of race that can give a horse like rakes chestnut a serious lift in confidence..he could flop or smash this field though, but is still a mad horse2 back imo...

INTANDOKAZI - my place bet of the day - super fit from racing in the dunes and has proven grass form - Semela up -18/10 a 4 place at 16/1 a win(does lose ground but should be a strong pace so he'll be running on when the others are paddling)
LEEULOOP JET expect improvement - gelding will have helped and needed last start -
FORT MEYERS go close to winning
BAD DREAM - stable hot - i think will again earn - exacta floater?
SEVENTH SYMPHONY and LADY ELEANOR (fair debut should be better for that run)
MASTER ENTERTAINER - think he's a strong place bet
SHAMAL placer
CHIEF SIOUX - E/w claims but place option might be better
BARBEL RUN - very strong 4 place prospect - may well win

Some thoughts on a tricky card as many runners have not had the opportunity to work properly as a result of the wet tracks

R2: Rake's Chestnut obviously the class, but a crazy price for a horse that seems to have lost his way - French Navy my preference at the odds and I make Straw Market 3rd best

R3: I think Rafa is the better choice at the odds; Emerald Mackay though should not miss the first 2; for me I think Fort Meyers needs more ground

R4: Lots of confidence in Big Bucks; many others including Pretty Special, Muskogee, Bad Dream, Scarlett Ice and Tasty need inclusion if you are playing to beat BB

R5: Should lie between Seventh Symphony, who should not miss the first 2 imo, River Empress (trip too short?) and the supported first timer Lumya

R6: Hoping for Master Entertainer to earn again - has the advantage of having run last week - he has a tendency to mess up the start, but on collateral form there does not seem to be too much between him and others like Lions Emblem, Enaad (no value imo), Afterburner and The Club King - also Glitter Alley (distance?) and Masterly can't be ruled out

R7: Tough fillies and mares handicap,, my preference is Danish Zealot (best form at this track) from the consistent Shamal, with Sail the Ice and Devorah the lurkers imo

R8: Very competitive sprint handicap, Anyday Anytime gets a tongue-tie, which may see him return to his best and at his best he will beat these; however none of the others look completely chanceless

R9: Cellarmaster very impressive maiden win - MR capped at 70 as a result of a ridiculous (imo) handicapping rule; probably good enough to defy that rating; main danger is Brave Vision who has won his maiden over this trip

Will be making the trip to the (Free) States, any Clanners around (except for Elvis) ?

Mr hawaii, hope you're right with MASTER ENTERTAINER R6, we're hoping for a decent run from him. The down side is we have to travel to the vaal instead of Turffontein, just hoping he runs a half decent race that's all..... nothing like Santa coming early for Christmas

Good punting guys.......maybe INTANDOKOZI can break his maiden today, good jock on top an good price.

ElvisisKing wrote: Mr hawaii, hope you're right with MASTER ENTERTAINER R6, we're hoping for a decent run from him. The down side is we have to travel to the vaal instead of Turffontein, just hoping he runs a half decent race that's all..... nothing like Santa coming early for Christmas

Good punting guys.......maybe INTANDOKOZI can break his maiden today, good jock on top an good price.

Pity I did not know about the change earlier in the week - I love the Vaal(Had some of my best after racing adventures up there!!) and would have loved to see you guys there - Intado is being backed in so let's hope and your Entertainer will do well I'm sure

R1 15 WILD DANCER
R2 4 RAKES CHESTNUT
R3 1 RAFA
R4 13 BIG BUCKS
R5 12 RIVER EMPRESS
R6 1 LIONS EMBLEM
R7 5 RODEO DREAM
R8 11 CHIEF SIOUX
R9 7 CELLARMASTER

Using Orveito as a line Intandokazi has 9 lengths on PEPE but that was only PEPE's second run but I still think 2-1 vs (16-1 early) 8-1 is not a true reflection considering the added skill of Semela - I wait to see how French Navy goes against elders(I would not be rushing to back him but I suppose the size of the field and pace could be the decider) If Rake's Chestnut remembers he has 4 legs and a tail he should murder that field

All the best to Frodo n Elvis with ME.

Pleased to see that both Frodo and Mr H have bolstered confidence in certain areas...

R1 Wild Dancer x Intandokazi (R1 e/w Giant Empire)
R2 Rake's Chestnut (but never at the price) x Leeuloop Jet
R3 Emerald Mackay
R4 Big Bucks
R5 Seventh Symphony x Lady Eleanor
R6 MASTERLY x Afterburner x ME (R5 e/w Chevalier - all 3 runs since rest possibly over shorter than best and two of them on the sand. When winning maiden 5 runs back Chevalier had Bow n Arrow over 4l back, Masterly beat BnA by 2.5l... 40/1 vs 9/2. R1 e/w Campo de Santana)
R7 Really really really annoying (late) scratching of Devorah :evil: so I'll be with Danish Zealot
R8 Anyday Anytime (R1 e/w Abbotsbury)
R9 Mr Hurricane

Be(s)t of luck to all