JACK MILNER - Overall the comments about the newly laid sand track at the Vaal have been positive and that augurs well for some good racing. Whatever the state of the track, one needs to go with runners that enjoy racing on the surface and there are very few better than Scarlet Letter.
Mike de Kock’s runner has won all three of his outings on the Vaal sand so it is most likely that he will be back in the winner’s box when he contests Race 4 tomorrow, a MR 96 Handicap over 1450m.
The seven-year-old Danehill entire has raced just nine times for six wins and is a top class performer. He is unsound which is why he has a few runs and then disappears for a sizeable period, but based on his breeding he could turn out to be a valuable sire when he finally goes to stud. There are a string of owners, including De Kock himself, but he runs in the purple and white colours of English golfer Lee Westwood.
Scarlet Letter has only raced twice beyond 1000m, a 1450m race on the Turffontein inside track in the wet which he won easily, and a 1600m event at the same track in good going where he finished sixth, 5.50-lengths behind Buscador. The other interesting statistic about Scarlet Letter is that he either wins or runs unplaced.
He has shown his affinity for the sand and he does take on a group of battle-weary adversaries here. When he won the 1450m at Turffontein Scarlet Letter carried 60kg. Tomorrow he has just 1kg more and there is no reason why either the weight or the distance should raise any concern for jockey Johnny Geroudis.
It could be left to Procurer to chase Scarlet Letter home. Dominic Zaki’s runner was only run out of it late by Showroom in his last start, which was over the course and distance. He is strong front runner but has yet to win over the distance and he may battle to go with the De Kock runner who is sure to be close to the pace.
War Of Attrition was the subject of a betting gamble last time in the same race won by Showroom when he was backed from 16-1 into 9-2. Unfortunately it all went awry and Roy Magner’s runner was never in the hunt from his No 11 draw and eventually trailed in 10.75 lengths behind the winner.
However, a run earlier War Of Attrition easily accounted for Seraph over the course and distance and a repeat of that run would see him in contention here. This time he has a better barrier position at No 7 and will have the benefit of Piere Strydom in the saddle.
Fuzzy Cuzzy is the stable companion to War Of Attrition and is another who loves this track. He has recorded four wins and five places in 13 starts here but he failed in his only attempt over the distance. He finished one from last behind Ryan’s A Lion on that occasion after leading for much of the journey.
In his favour is that popular Peruvian jockey Guillermo Figueroa is back after a stint in Mauritius and will be aboard Fuzzy Cuzzy. They will also jump from pole position.
The only other runner that makes some appeal is ``Lucky’’ Houdalakis’ Counter Tenor. His recent form has little to enthuse over but two of his three victories have come over this course and distance. In April he beat Peter Miller’s useful sand campaigner Water Jet by 4.25 lengths and a repeat of that performance could make him dangerous here, especially as he carries just 50.5kg and jumps from barrier No 3.
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