JACK MILNER - One of the best things about being in the hub of the season is that even midweek cards are loaded with some great racing. Tomorrow’s Vaal card is no exception and for those planning an early holiday, it could be a good day to pack the family in the car and spend a relaxing afternoon at races.
Race 6, a Graduation Plate over the straight 1600m, could be the most intriguing event of the fixture. The weights favour Golden Scold, the lone filly in the field, but the question to be answered is how will she fare against the boys?
Judged on a facile victory in an Allowance Plate over the course and distance earlier this month, the riposte is likely to be ``very well’’. Although beating little of note, Golden Scold cruised to a 3.75-length victory in a respectable 96.11sec.
However, she takes a jump in class and meets some capable opposition. Sir Lowry showed a return to form with a 2.75-length third behind stablemate Galahad last time out, while Dominic Zaki has a high regard for Echohawk.
The runner who could make them all gallop, though, is Geoff Woodruff’s Winter Night. This two-time winner has raced against some of the best three-year-olds in the land and although appearing to be slightly below Classic material, has enough ability to take out a field of this nature.
He has only been unplaced three times in his career and all of those were Graded races. He ran in both Grade 1 events for two-year-olds in KwaZulu-Natal last season, finishing 11.25 lengths behind Musir in the Golden Horseshoe over 1400m at Greyville and then a 6.50-length seventh to Exhilaration in the Premier’s Champion Stakes over 1600m at Clairwood.
After a layoff Winter’s Night did well to run Pierre Jourdan to 2.25 lengths in a Progress Plate at Turffontein and followed that with a 9.50-length 10th to Bulsara in the Graham Beck Stakes (Grade 3) on Charity Mile day.
This will be his third run after a layoff so Woodruff should have him at a peak and the fact that he has engaged Piere Strydom to ride the Western Winter gelding is significant.
Echohawk was all the rage in his last start but probably found the Turffontein 2000m in soft going a touch too far. The son of Captain Al looked dangerous going through the 400m mark but shortly after that was running on empty and faded to finish 8.50 lengths off Regal Ransom.
The return to 1600m should prove ideal and with Gavin Lerena coming off his win in the International Jockeys’ Challenge at Turffontein on Sunday, the competitive spirit should be at an all-time high in this young rider.
Charles Laird sends out Sir Lowry and Bhusende and although stable jockey Anton Marcus is on the former, Bhusende could be the right one. The three-year-old Australian-bred colt has only run twice for a debut victory and an unplaced effort, 8.70-lengths off Pierre Jourdan in the Ready To Run Cup at Turffontein.
He carries just 53.5kg which is probably the reason Marcus is not riding him. Brian Nyawo, who did well to win the Champions Challenge aboard Smart Banker earlier this year, gets an opportunity to notch up another winner for the Laird stable.
There was much talk about Sir Lowry after he scored a quick double last year but he seems to have lost a little of his sparkle. His last run indicated some improvement but only the race will tell if there is more to come from the Windrush four-year-old.
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