JACK MILNER - Jockey Piere Strydom pointed out in his column last Saturday morning that the form on the Vaal sand track is often more consistent than on the turf.
One runner who reinforces his point of view is Sandy Beach, a four-year-filly who does not know how to run a bad race on that surface.
She has raced 12 times on the sand for seven wins and three places. Her two unplaced efforts came the first she saw a race track and in the build-up to last year’s Emerald Cup when she finished a 5.50-length fifth behind Phunyuka in the August Stakes over 1200m.
Tomorrow at the Vaal the St John Gray-trained filly takes on an accomplished field in a Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m. Despite the strength of the opposition, Sandy Beach looks a stand-out bet.
She has raced four times over the course and distance for three wins and a fourth - and that placed run was in last year’s Grade 2 Emerald Cup in which she finished 3.25 lengths behind Phunyuka.
It was a noteworthy effort as she was pushed from the start to overcome No 11 draw. They raced at a breakneck pace from the off and she was the only frontrunner who did not drop away. In fact, she led through the 400m marker and it was only late in the race that the early effort took its toll.
Being a plate race she is favourably weighted. As the highest rated runner she should carry the biggest burden, but she will be receiving weight from most of the other contenders.
Two runs back she raced over 1200m against fillies and mares and spread-eagled the field by seven lengths. As a result she was penalised 3kg but that did not stop her running a cracker in her next start when she was beaten a neck by Phunyuka, having to give the Emerald Cup winner 1.5kg.
Sherman Brown, who rode her in her last two starts, is in the irons once again.
Charles Laird has two runners and stable jockey Anton Marcus is aboard Deep Water while Paul Whitmore rides Crown Of Power. With the latter only having raced once since winning the Racing Association Mile at Flamingo Park in August last year, Deep Water looks to be the right one.He finished fourth behind Phunyuka and Sandy Beach in that 1200m race and will no doubt be far more effective over this longer distance.
However, he will meet Sandy Beach on 4.5kg worse terms and it looks all but a forlorn hope to turn that defeat into victory.
Had this race been over 1600m Sayadaw would probably have been priced up favourite but he may struggle to get going in time. His last race over this distance was at Clairwood in August 2008 when he finished fourth behind Keep Flying. In his last race over 1600m on the sand, Sayadaw came from a long way back to beat Ruckus by two lengths. Whether he will be capable of giving Sandy Beach 2kg and a beating over this distance only the race will tell.
The quiet ``lurker’’ could be Narc. He won the Emerald Cup in 2007 but has not been the same since returning from a spell in Dubai. However, he showed good pace last time when beaten just 2.25 lengths by Abbotsbury over 1200m on the turf. Bradley Maroun has engaged Strydom and that could indicate Narc is close to his best.
Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.
Topic Author
