VAAL SAND - SAT 31st AUG

Speed ratings for main contenders with previous Vaal Sand form –

R1 MDN 1600m
81…Banjo Bay 2/1
76…Hobb’s Flight 12/1
72…The Bucket Boy 16/1
70…Vodka Rocks 12/1
68…Lunar Destiny 16/1
65…Tobe Turf Terror 40/1
??…High Stakes 5/2
??…Alpha Male 12/1
??… Ajuba 7/1
Steady recent form by the top figure horse Banjo Bay from the in-(VS)form-stable of KGN makes him the obvious selection ahead of the erratic, yet often ‘value’ Hobb’s Flight. The ‘favourable VS stables’ are represented by High Stakes and Alpha Male along with Ajuba…the latter being the ‘place’ proposition for me.

R2 MR86F 1600m
104…Shattered Image 33/10
..92…Elegant Bay 4/1
..80…Scarlet Berry 2/1
..75…Scarletto 33/1
On paper looks a one horse race, yet few stables manage follow-up wins on the sand and the likeable stable of Shattered Image are no exception only managing this 10% of the time. Then again when MGA jumps them up from a maiden win to this type of class the confidence is often rewarded...however, finding this race somewhat tricky.

R3 MDN-F 1200m
77…For Your Eyes Only 4/1
75…Woodrose 9/2
71…Stroke One 16/10
58…Royal Quest 16/1
57…I’m No Mickey Mouse 40/1
56…Seattle Rythm 10/1
Not an awful lot to get excited about here especially as the top figure horses are poorly drawn and the favourite’s odds are rather skinny. Likely to give Seattle Rythm another chance, and even I’m No Mickey Mouse again.

R4 PROGRESS PLATE 1000m
92…Lord Dubois 16/1
92…Tiger Territory 14/1
84…Velvet Verona 5/1
??…Jimmi Choo 12/10
??…Normanz 3/1
Really like Lord Dubois, good run last week, looks really good value…probably best place proposition of the day.

R5 MR86 1600m
107…Aces High 22/10
105…Spectroscope 7/2
98…Marching Band 7/1
97…Rock the Country 22/10
92…Enchanted Guest 9/2
Was looking forward to Rock the Country reappearing at VS yet feel he is over matched with the top two. Spectroscope looks the better value…then again we have the pattern of back-to-back wins…which AH has already overcome!

R6 MR65F 1600m
92…Miss K 4/1
88…Olympic Spring 16/10
87…Kailani 28/10
85…Tizasmartdollar 20/1
81…Besame Mucho 5/1
78…Summer Sari 14/1
Miss K looks the better value in the win box and Tizasmartdollar good for the place.

R7 SANDY BEACH STAKES (F) 1200m
109…Tayba 14/10
104…Follow the Piper 5/1
103…Formation 5/1
102…Ferrari Dawn 4/1
..92…Velvet Jar 25/1
..91…Kinnematic Countess 8/1
Tayba, as an improving VS 4-Y-O looks the days banker. Whilst not the best draw she should still feature here. Follow the Piper and Formation have really good history at VS yet Ferrari Dawn looks to be the main danger…Velvet Jar figures as the best place ‘value’ possibility.

R8 AUGUST STAKES 1200m
113…Storm Surf 12/1
111…Across the Ice 5/1
111…Benbow ??/1
110…Uncle Tommy 12/1
109…Eugenes 14/1
109…Nice Stride 20/1
108…Approachable 12/1
106…Contador 28/10...hope that error was not an omen!
???…Snowdon 6/1
???…Here Comes Billy 4/1
Across the Ice is the 1200m champ and has produced his best ever figures in the last two Aug Stks…a banker in the PA and strong in the P6. Main danger the improving Storm Surf and like Eugenes to place!

R9 MDN 1200m
76…Kalamata Bay 5/2
69…Don Vito 11/2
63…Royal Stock 25/1
60…Big Lion 9/2
Kalamata Bay figures as a banker…Don Vito the danger.
Royal Stock can help the quartet pay.

Thanks THH, what did you rate Contador's only Sand run?

Thanks THH. Well in advance to really make USE of Ur Speed Ratings. Is the Vaal Sand ur favourite surface as U appear to put alot of effort in just for this surface, must be time consuming and from my side much appreciated.

As always THH (tu) and happy to say we agree on quite a lot.

Strangely you like Lord Dubois in the 4th and our top three are the same but although I like LD, I really like your second Tiger Territory for an e/w. Anyway, don't think I'll be around much so posting jottings shortly...

Didn't Contador win his only Sand race by a steeple chase margin?

If he runs on sand to his Golden Horse form he should be the bet of the century at 4/1? (Marshalls)

Tommy_Hotspur Wrote:

---

> Didn't Contador win his only Sand race by a
> steeple chase margin?
>
> If he runs on sand to his Golden Horse form he
> should be the bet of the century at 4/1?
> (Marshalls)


Agree with you Tommy, a year older and has come on since then and gelded. He took to the surface and is the highest rated horse in the race. 4/1 looks a great bet to me. Take doubles with Tayba.

Tommy_Hotspur Wrote:

---

> Didn't Contador win his only Sand race by a
> steeple chase margin?
>
> If he runs on sand to his Golden Horse form he
> should be the bet of the century at 4/1?
> (Marshalls)


I concur !!!

You guys are quick out of the blocks - good to see (tu)

I have only paged through the card - just some notes I made to follow up:

Shattered Image has never won over the 1600 here, if this was a 1450 I'd make her a certainty - still she won so easily last time and I much prefer her at the odds to Scarlet Berry who won a weak maiden imo in a slowish time.

I concur that Lord Dubois looks very good value at 16/1 - fair last run from an unfavorable draw last time - with the top 2 in the betting unknown quantities on the surface, I think Velvet Verona (should prefer this 1000) also has a huge shout and also not bad value at 11/2

Olympic Spring disappointed me last time and over the 1600 I much prefer Miss K - imo MK holds Kailani and looks good value at 5/1

Both Ferraris Dawn and Tayba drawn a little wide, so it won't surprise me if Follow the Piper (lately erratic) puts her best foot forward and give them both a run - FtP has 4 wins and 3 places over this trip so fair value imo at 11/2

The 8th looks very competitive - Contador won by a street in his only try on the surface and so did Yukon Gold - Here Comes Billy (being by Muhtafal) should also enjoy the surface and Across the Ice has 4 wins and a place over this trip and has a slightly better draw than the other 3 - I could be wrong but imo both Storm Surf and Eugenes could struggle against these over the trip

I think we're in from some cracking racing (tu)

Very good info with this thread and Englanders www.africanbettingclan.com/forum/phorum-...15/read.php?3,436620 thread great stuff (tu)

Good post guys....(tu)

RACE1 GENERAL Cluster first 3 .

Banjo Bay x Contador
Double @ 7.41/1