JACK MILNER - While the saying that ``one swallow doesn’t make a summer’’ often turns out to be accurate, perhaps it is no longer true about trainer Geoff Woodruff.
It is no secret that they have been battling over the last few months but after a brace of winners at the Vaal last Thursday, coupled with Seattle Ice’s victory in Saturday’s Peermont Emperors Palace Charity Mile, it could be worth sticking with the Woodruff yard.
They send out Mitra in Race 5 at The Vaal tomorrow, a Condition Stakes for fillies and mares over 1200m, and the popular trainer can pay another visit to the No 1 box. The Jallad filly has found her form in no uncertain manner and has now scored three successive victories.
She was allowed to go off at 13-2 in her last start over 1450m on the Turffontein inside track following an almost four-month layoff but she belied her price and came from off the pace to beat Captain’s Girl going away by 1.25 lengths.
She is the best weighted runner in this event so she is well positioned to win here and she will be ridden by Piere Strydom, who has an unblemished record on the filly, having ridden her twice for two wins.
While she would appear to prefer a little further, Mitra has won over the course and distance that should not be too big a concern.
Her main rival looks to be Mochachino from the Michael Azzie yard. She may be 3.5kg out with Mitra on handicap but Azzie has opted to give the ride to apprentice Tshwaro Appie who claims 4kg. Based on their run in October, Mochachino appears to have very little chance as she finished four lengths behind Mitra in that race at Turffontein and is only 2.5kg better off.
However, she followed that up with a two-length fourth to Milk And Honey in her next start and should improve further in her third run after a layoff.
Although reasonably well handicapped here, Nimley is in a similar position to Mochachino. He also ran in that Turffontein race and finished 5.25 lengths behind Mitra. Her 2.5kg advantage may also not be enough to reverse the placing but Sean Tarry’s runner looks better suited to this 1200m that the 1450m of the Turffontein race.
Anton Marcus gets the ride and that should at least give her a good chance of featuring in the Trifecta.
Miss Turbulence is not far off Nimley based on their race over 1000m at Turffontein on 22 October. The addition 2000m is likely to suit the five-year-old daughter of Jet Master and with Gavin Lerena doing some sterling work for the Weiho Marwing stable, Miss Turbulence must have solid place prospects at least.
Paint The Town is very speedy and Dominic Zaki’s runner finally ended her frustrating run of places with a start-to-finish victory over 1400m at this track. Now that she’s finally got her head in front, winning might become infectious and with just 54kg to shoulder, the daughter of London News could be upset material.
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