Vaal Sand Tuesday 28/05

Not done one for a while (and probably won't again for a while! ) but for those completely bored here's my jottings... tough card again imo and hoping the next card will return to easier pickings lol

My thanks to Winning Form for changing their online form guide. Having originally only shown the form guide with a maximum of 7 races per horse I moaned (as I do ( ) and they were good enough to change it. Big thumbs up to them and I hope it continues, it really does make a significant difference when studying (tu)

R1 Swift Bow has had two silvers from two visits to the course. Both of those efforts were from poor draws so she must have a good chance today from the 2 box. Zena's Own should be well held based on the run behind Tacit Tiger. The only one on sand form who should challenge SB is Sweet Lyrics but 2nd run after the rest and a wide draw is enough for me to go with SB. The IT Girl and Innocent Mischief are two newcomers to the sand who on breeding would have a chance. The former though may prefer further. IM would be of greater interest but trainer and jockey form is poor and she is coming off a 22 week rest. The rest (on paper) should not be involved in the finish and the stipes should investigate if they are Selection... Swift Bow x Sweet Lyrics x Zena's Own

R2 Poor! For various reasons none of the sand first timers make particular appeal so I'll be concentrating on those with the experience though, in truth, they don't make much appeal either! Tempered Steel has had three decent runs on the sand but steps up to a distance where he has twice been well beaten on the turf and has been slow away of late. He was 1l behind Tornado Twister last time out who was returning from a 13 week break. Neither have good draws but if TT does not suffer 2nd run after a rest syndrome then I would prefer him. TT has twice finished just ahead of Hobbs Flight but the latter has a better draw this time and Strydom up. Gayhurst had HF well behind over this distance but the former's overall form is far from convincing. Reluctant selection... Hobb's Flight x Tornado Twister x Tempered Steel

R3 Blaze of Glory would be my first choice of the sand debutants but the trainer form is a negative. Inn On The Square may need the run coming off an 8 week break and does not seem to want to win so I'll go with the form of his run behind Tizasmartdollar when he was beaten by both Zahara's Own and Irish Blast by 3l. They are closely matched on that run, I'll side with ZO as I see him as probably the more consistent and thus the more likely. Selection... Zahara's Own x Irish Blast x IOTS

R4 Nothing to convince me that Aces High will suit the surface so being relatively short in the market, this is one that I will pass over. Love Nautilus won his sand debut well and though that was at Kimberley the opposition here does not look the strongest and from a good draw he could get involved. The only one with a semi-decent draw with reasonable sand form is White Squall, this one returns to the distance of his maiden win and has Strydom aboard. Another difficult race though imo and I would not be surprised by a big shock. Selection... White Squall x Love Nautilus x Son Of The Burg

R5 Mesmering Melody must have a chance with Strydom up and returning to her maiden winning distance. But, she has done nothing over 1600 since, seems inconsistent and has a big weight. Top Talent must also have a chance but her last two runs are a concern and also has a big mass. I am not convinced the form of the race when Olympic Spring beat Miss K by 2l amounts to much but they did finish well clear of the remainder. Santa Clarita comes out the maidens but has shown she goes on the surface and from a good draw should feature in the finish, the price is very thin though imo and possibly worth noting the price has drifted in all 4 of her starts. A couple with a chance if they take to the surface are Shadows in the Sun, but she is coming off a rest, and Olympic Goal (who beat Santa Clarita 1l on her last turf run, maiden) and represents Spies/Chambers from a good draw. It might pay to ignore Congregation's only sand effort as his following turf run was also very poor compared to all other efforts and being by Kahal he could surprise at a nice price. Little confidence selection... Congregation x Santa Clarita x Olympic Goal

R6 Across The Ice won well last time but has only one bronze from 5 distance attempts and a very short price around his neck. Strydom stays on him but stable-mate, and the once seemingly unbeatable on the sand, Mr Tobin may well prove to be a safer option over the distance. Right Beauty appears held by ATI on their last meeting though the extra distance may suit this one better, having won over the c and d under this jockey. Follow The Piper and Raise The Bar have looked out of form in recent starts. The one at a bigger price who makes some appeal is bottom weight Storm Surf who won well last time having found market support and has won 3 of his 4 c and d runs, the one defeat coming off a 72 week break and the form of that run was reversed last time out. He has soundly beaten Eugenes though that was a poor run by the latter who also has some creditable runs at the c and d. Selection... Mr Tobin x Right Beauty x Storm Surf

R7 Indira from the de Kock stable makes his sand debut and being by Tiger Ridge must have a decent chance of taking to the surface and, if doing so, must in turn have a decent chance of success. Lecture Queen exchanges appie for pro and Club Captain goes the other way but hard to see Gunter making up almost 6ls with the horse effectively carrying 6kgs more. LQ should also struggle to beat Sing The Blues with the weight turnaround on their run behind La Volta back in November, though form can change very quickly I would still favour STB third run after a rest. Club C must have a fair chance of following up but goes from the 1 box to 16 and I favour low draws in these sprints though the stats make it a level playing field. Flying Foo has been running consistently and is likely to be thereabouts. There's a few who on their day could take the spoils but if I were to choose a roughie it would be Twilight Elva. Coming off a 13 week break but has won running fresh before, often not too far away on the sand but must get away on terms. Selection... Indira x Club Captain x Sing The Blues

R8 A couple of sand debutants who might go well on the surface at decent prices are Shine Tiger and Lord Hawke. The latter may need the run and further though. Tired now so just quickly Magica Roma has placed in 50% of her course visits and on some sand form seems well weighted. Men and Mountains must have a very good chance if the last sand run is overlooked. Jetsons should be thereabouts. Woza Friday and Victoria's Albert are two others who have shouts. Selection... Shine Tiger x Magica Roma x Men and Mountains

R9 Pin job(ish). Plenty with experience seem erratic and not convincing of late so I'm going to go against my usual trend and take one coming out of the maidens. Sunset Baby won his maiden on turf (two winners have come from the race and the runner-up has finished in that position again) but on debut ran an under 5ls 3rd to Melli Mou on this course when in season and the runner-up has won and finished second since. With the appie continuing to take weight off, SB may represent some value with scope for improvement. There are also some sand newcomers worth looking at and I'm just going to hope they like the surface, selection in order of preference, behind Sunset Baby... Love Vivien x Brave Princess x Baluga

Be(s)t of luck to all (tu)

Thanks Englander, lovely write up. (tu)

Thank you Englander (tu)-D

Thanks Englander ...........very tough card

Very in-depth analysis and write up - (tu)

My fancies are swift bow and Indira

Always a pleasure when we get a write up like Englander's... Thanks a mill. (tu)

Had a quick nap and woke up to see that tomorrow is THURSDAY!!!!!!!!

LOL sorry Phil.... Bob can you change please?

And thanks guys, I would say "your welcome" but I'm not sure it would be whole-hearted just now as my eyelids droop and my fingers drop off one by one

lolz... well spotted phil...

Speed ratings for main contenders with previous VS form –

Was not that excited about the card, yet when getting the betting earlier (wsb) felt that there are a few contenders looking good value.

Race 1 MDN-F 1200m
79…Sweet Lyrics 1/1
76…Swift Bow 28/10
66…Zena’s Own 7/1
64…Cerise Silk 10/1
Looks a 2 horse race. Prefer the well drawn Swift Bow, with Zena’s Own to place.

Race 2 MDN 1450m
75…Tornado Twister 11/2
74…Tempered Steel 11/2
66…Lunar Destiny 16/1
65…Gayhurst 16/1
62…Eight Forty Four ?
61…Atlas Grove 75/1
60…Hobb’s Flight 10/1
60…Buffalo Run 40/1
Reasonable ‘value’ with the top 2 yet big chinks in most of the obvious contenders form, not a lot of confidence in anything here. Keep your money under the mattress.

Race 3 MDN-F 1600m
67…Zahara’s Own 28/10
66…Irish Blast 28/10
65…Inn on the Square 4/1
56…White Party 10/1
??…Shirla 25/1
Again uninspiring...at least on known form. Sand debutantes Shirla, Blaze of Glory or even Action Belle do not have to be very special to feature here. Always respect MGA (White Party) at VS…shall be happy to be in PA after this race.

Race 4 MR66 1600m
88…White Squall 5/2
88…Kruger Gold 33/1
86…King Scott ?
85…Kudos 40/1
81…Blue Concorde 40/1
80...Beza 20/1
Really like White Squall yet the 33/1 about Kruger Gold appeals.

Race 5 MR68F 1600m
96…Top Talent 10/1
92…Mesmerising Melody 9/2
90…Olympic Spring 10/1
85…Miss K 8/1
84…Waltzing Dual 20/1
77…Hockus 66/1
76…Santa Clarita 33/10
Not looking further than the top 2 …should be too ‘classy’ for this bunch.


Race 6 PIN STKS 1450m
108…Right Beauty 8/1
107…Mr. Tobin 5/2
106…Across the Ice 13/10
105…Eugenes 7/1
100…Storm Surf 12/1
Think Across the Ice is ‘stretched’ over this distance. Right Beauty to beat Mr.Tobin.

Race 7 MR76F 1000m
99…Club Captain 6/1
93…Sing the Blues 10/1
86…Twilight Eva 25/1
85…Flying Foo 10/1
82…Lecture Queen 12/1
82…Sheri Baby 7/1
??…Indira 33/10
Club Captain looks the outstanding contender here with speed ratings consistently better than the rest of the field. However, back to back wins at VS, in this class and after a 2 month break is not a ‘pattern’ to promote confidence. Do expect Mexican Glory to ‘Bareback it’ sometime although she probably needs to show some ‘sign of life’ first. Really tricky race!


Race 8 MR76 1000m
94…Men and Mountains 11/2
90…Magica Roma 12/1
89…Maji Moto 10/1
88…Fast Day 25/1
85…Jetsons 4/1
85…Victory Call 25/1
LJE + PAP with Jetsons for the P6 looks easy enough. Maji Moto is better than his last couple of sand runs and appeals most here. Kwaaiwater is the ‘Bareback’ here.

Race 9 MR76F 1000m
93…Howhighcanufly 6/1
88…Tobe’s Lass 20/1
88…Tilbury 20/1
85…Cold Approach 20/1
80…Star Empress 14/1
??…Baluga
Expect the top 3 rated to do well despite poor last sand runs, obvious unknowns??

@WinningForm.....and Dev

extract from Englander above....

My thanks to Winning Form for changing their online form guide. Having originally only shown the form guide with a maximum of 7 races per horse I moaned (as I do ) and they were good enough to change it. Big thumbs up to them and I hope it continues, it really does make a significant difference when studying

I second it....thanks....(tu)

@Englander.....where's the synopsis........(tu)

Thanks to Englander for giving us the heads up, and for getting us to change it!

Magic Tips had a good day with four out of four of his best bets coming through today at Fairview!

Here are his tips for Vaal Sand tomorrow:

Winning Form & Magic Tips Best Bets - Vaal Sand