JACK MILNER - Queen's Bay is a top-class performer overall but on the sand, she is exceptional. Mike Azzie’s runner has twice run on the Vaal sand track and won those starts by a total of 29.50 lengths.
Her last outing at the course was on Emerald Cup day when, ridden by Anthony Delpech, the daughter of Fort Wood hacked in by 13.50 lengths.
She subsequently won a FM 85 Handicap over 1600m on the Turffontein inside track and followed up with a 3.50-length drubbing of Milk And Honey to win the Grade 3 Yellowwood Handicap over 1800m on the standside track.
She did disappoint when beaten 6.25 lengths in the Grade 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge but was not that well weighted with winner Mother Russia. When one considers Mike de Kock’s filly went on to run second in the J&B Met that fifth was not a bad performance.
Queen’s Bay returns to the Vaal sand on Thursday and looks impossible to oppose in Race 6, a FM 90 Handicap over 1600m. She comes back from a 75-day rest but has always run well fresh, so that should not be a concern. She is also reunited with jockey Gavin Lerena, who rode her to victory in her debut, which was at this track, where she won by a remarkable 16 lengths.
She does have to shoulder 62kg but carried 59.5kg in her previous sand win so it should not prove too much of an obstruction.
Wood Manor was one of Queen’s Bay’s victims when she last won at this track and even a 5kg weight advantage is unlikely to be enough to turn around 13.50 lengths. She did frank that form when winning her next start, beating Shuffles by 2.25 lengths over 1800m.
Piere Strydom has ridden Apple Princess twice for two wins but the form indicates that St John Gray’s runner will need a miracle to beat Queen’s Bay. There is not much to choose between Apple Princess and Shuffles and the latter is held by Wood Manor, who in turn is well held by Queen’s Bay.
The fillies also take centre stage in Race 4, a Conditions Plate over 1200m, where aptly named Sandy Beach takes on an improving Charles Laird inmate, Call Up.
Sandy Beach has contested 10 races on the sand for six wins and two places, one of those being last year’s Emerald Cup. In that race Gray’s filly was the only runner who kept up with the incredibly fast pace before fading late to fourth behind Phunyuka.
She has raced twice over the course and distance, the first in the hotly contested August Stakes (Listed) where she finished fifth to Phunyuka and Galahad, and two runs later she enjoyed a comfortable 5.25-length victory over Miss Turbulence, when racing against her own sex.
Laird also runs Quality Alone and while I have no doubt he is the better of the two stable companions, over 1200m one has to side with Call Up. Stable jockey Anton Marcus agrees, as he has taken the ride on the daughter of Parade Leader. She gets 6kg from Sandy Beach but that may not be enough to get the better of Strydom’s mount.
Quality Alone coasted to victory by 4.25 lengths over 1600m in her only start on the sand but is likely to be outpaced over this trip. Paul Whitmore gets the ride.
Miss Turbulence was no match for Sandy Beach last time they met but is 6kg better off for that 5.25-length beating and with MJ Odendaal aboard, should go a lot closer on this occasion.
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