JACK MILNER - Trainer Geoff Woodruff may have left Turffontein empty handed on Saturday but it will come as a huge surprise if he does not walk away from tomorrow’s meeting at the Vaal with a few winners. Four of his five runners will be ridden by Piere Strydom.
The quartet are all likely to be priced up as favourites in their respective races.
In Race 4 they team up with Choisir, whose third career win cannot be far off. This is a Graduation Plate over 1200m and on handicap alone, the Argentinian-bred colt is weighted to win. He was off from March to early November but had a promising return to racing when a 3.75-length second to Dinner For One over 1400m at this track.
Woodruff has not shied away from taking on some top runners with Choisir and he finished a 2.25-length fourth to Fenerbahce in the Sea Cottage Stakes over 1800m and a 3.50-length sixth to Oracy in the Gauteng Guineas.
He meets nothing of that class here and although the 1200m could be a little short, he should have enough ability to win a race of this nature.
The main threat should come from Blue Voyager from the Charles Laird yard. He has only run twice for a win and an unplaced run in the Emperors Palace Ready To Run Cup, but there should be some improvement to come.
Race 5 looks another contest between Woodruff and Laird when Queen Mira takes on Red Azalea. Both are Australian bred, have only run once and were facile winners of their respective races.�However, the manner in which Queen Mira accelerated to put 6.75 lengths between herself and Luscious Lucy, left one with the impression that this was a runner to watch.�
She tries 1400m for the first time but as she is by Danehill Dancer out of a Sadler’s Wells mare, she should be pining for this extra ground.
Red Azalea was withdrawn from the International Jockeys’ Challenge when racing was moved to the inside track but she was priced up favourite to win that day. She has a 3.5kg pull over Queen Mira and Paul Whitmore takes the ride.
Waitangi may have just needed the run when going down a neck to Castinelli last time. The Captain Al colt was one of the better juveniles in Gauteng last season and with that run under his belt he should be good enough to win Race 7, a MR 85 Handicap over 1000m.
He faces some stiff opposition from the likes of Mr One-Eyed Jack, Bismarck and Anaboo, but his class should prevail.
In Race 8 Woodruff and Strydom team up with Ex Unitate Vires who finished third in the Goldfields Fillies Sprint on the inside track at Turffontein in October. She looks to need further that this 1000m, though, and they could face a serious challenge from First Whistle, who surprised in her last start when winning at 66-1. Her Cape form was good and there could be some improvement forthcoming as is the case with Sean Tarry’s Epworth Belle.
She’s been out since June but the stable is in form and she has tremendous pace.
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