Vaal sand and Greyville night

Mr Mickey Mouse at Greyville,still searching at the Vaal for a winner?

Post your winners here guys

Will do in the morning Bob, watching soccer -

Had a good look and might be a good day for the punters?

Plenty interest for the Clan and all the best with your runners.

Gold Stream, Cha Cha Queen, Kruger Gold and Fire King at the Vaal

This evening Gilmore Girl, MJ Thriller, Distina Wells, Va Va Voom and Fort Noble

Good punting!

JACK MILNER: TRAINER Roy Magner continues his good vein of form and he could score at least a double when Eastern Cobbler and Lian Dancer line up on the Vaal sand on Tuesday.

The pair did us a good turn late last month when Magner sent them out at the same track and the ease with which both won indicates their tanks are still loaded with fuel.

Eastern Cobbler has the more difficult task as he takes on Mike de Kock’s improving Fire King in Race 6, a MR 90 Handicap over 1600m. The son of Al Mufti has turned into a different horse since being gelded in February and has come back to score two successive victories. In his first race back over 1450m on the sand he jumped out well from No 10 draw and drew away to beat Brian Boro by 7.75 lengths. His next start was over the same distance, this time on the inside track at Turffontein where he fought hard to defeat Mzingeli by 0.50 lengths.

He has done little wrong but will be meeting some better runners here. Eastern Cobbler has run four times on the sand for three wins and a third - and that was to Sean Tarry’s Incomodo, who went on to win the Listed Highveld Sand Challenge, beating the likes of Phunyuka and Sayadaw.

Eastern Cobbler won his last start by 3.25 lengths, beating Anaboo, and Magner expressed the view that he believed 1450m was too sharp for his charge. He does have to give Fire King 2kg but that may not be enough for the De Kock runner, who will no doubt try and lead from start to finish.

Interestingly Johnny Geroudis, who rides Fire King, has won twice on Eastern Cobbler so he will be aware of the challenge he is facing.

So will Magner, as Lian Dancer beat Fire King by 1.25 lengths in February and he will be aware of how much better Eastern Cobbler may be.

Willie Figueroa has benefited from Magner’s good run currently and is aboard Eastern Cobbler and Lian Dancer a race later. The Alami gelding may not be quite as good as his stablemate but he has won four of nine races on the sand and placed in the other five.

From Magner’s point of view, he could not have found a better race for Lian Dancer as the opposition looks decidedly spare. Only Parade Prince and Royal Terrace stand out and they should follow him home.

However, there is a line of form in October on which Parade Prince beat Lian Dancer by four lengths and he is now 3.5kg better off. The only difference is the direction the two have taken since then. Lian Dancer has gone on to win four races while Geoff Woodruff’s charge has only won once, and that was in a weak MR 66 Handicap over 1600m on the Vaal turf.

He also has to jump from barrier No 13 in this MR 72 Handicap over 1600m while Lian Dancer is perfectly positioned at No 3.

Royal Terrace has only raced once at this track and on that occasion he was a 6.50-length third behind Cappie. Weiho Marwing’s runner will need to improve significantly to feature but he does have in-form Juan Paul van der Merwe in the irons and will benefit from the apprentice’s allowance.

Figueroa and Magner could also feature in Race 8, a MR 68 Handicap over 1200m, where they team up with Done ‘N Dusted.

JACK MILNER: ON Monday morning a group of South African mountaineers is due to attempt to their final assault on the tougher north face of Mount Everest. Leading the expedition is the vastly experienced Sean Disney and while he’s not related to the famous family, it would perhaps be a fitting tribute if the most celebrated Walt Disney character, Mr Mickey Mouse, won at Greyville on Tuesday.

Tony Rivalland’s gelding would not be winning out of turn. He has a particular liking for the Greyville 1000m and with Felix Coetzee and just 52kg on his back, this MR 95 Handicap is well within his grasp.

Mr Mickey Mouse won a Maiden Plate over the course and distance on his second visit to the racetrack and in his only other run here, ran a 2.25-length second to Kabamba over 1100m. He was given a two-month break early in the year but came back well to run a 1.75-length fourth behind Tirade over 1000m at Scottsville.

Michael Roberts trains Tirade and he sends out Indecent Obsession, who looks the main threat to Mr Mickey Mouse. He is at best over the minimum distance and should run well despite an 86-day layoff.

He also has to give 5kg to the selection but will be ridden by Stuart Randolph who hardly goes home these days without a couple of winners in the bag.

Cruso is the interesting runner because at his best, he would have this whole bunch for breakfast. Unfortunately Glen Kotzen’s runner has been disappointing in his two runs this term at KwaZulu-Natal tracks but Bernard Fayd’Herbe has been engaged to ride the Mogok gelding and that could be significant.

Competitive racing on the Vaal sand and we will have to watch the first couple of races carefully to try and determine how the track has been prepared; if it's the same as last week, side with the front running / handy runners. Some pointers from my side for what it's worth:

R3: Cha Cha Queen has not raced on the sand so I will include Desolate View in the PA
R4: Rad's horse has really found a weak field and should win this - the only slight doubt in my mind being the 1800
R5: Competive - include Manly Magic for some value
R6: Here is where the state of the track will be a factor - front running Fire King has been given a 14 point penalty since his last sand win - so probably wise to include Eastern Cobbler again - and also Fearless Gun and Mystic (who should both be coming from behind)
R7: Lian Dancer the obvious choice - perhaps Sonic Gang the main danger from a good draw
R8: Very weak handicap - field?
R9: Also very open; I like the Laird coupling and will also include the scratched runners Blingle Bells and Cocoa Rose for extra cover

Play well.

Looks like plenty money for Goldstream.

unplaced, a good start for the bookies

never back a favourite, which never ran before on sand!

I did not, could not get a bet as it went from evens to 9/20, threw the towel in at 7/10

I think Desolate view should challenge,
I like Mystic to be there tonight as well

In Greyville watch Marcus back for Puller with Chief mambo should run 2nd/3rd
Up and Running should find it difficult not to challenge in the 1st

After the first 2 races at the Vaal where in both cases the front runner got run down, it seems that the horses coming from behind have a better chance than last week - seems like fair racing today; hopefully more form results?