With the Cape Champions Season reaching its crescendo on Saturday 29 January with the running of the Cape Town Met, and the Highveld Autumn Season starting a week later, it’s bread-and-butter racing at the Vaal come Thursday 27 January.
But that does not mean the racing on the day won’t be as exciting as ever.
In Race 7, a MR72 Handicap over 1800m, a total of 16 runners are carded to face the starter, but despite the big field, this is where brave bettors will be looking at Secret Giver as a banker bet for their exotic bets.
Trained by Gavin van Zyl, this four-year-old Philanthropist gelding has finished outside the top four in only two of his ten career outings – never beaten more than 3.45 lengths.
He’s as honest and hard-working as they come and looks well set to record a well-deserved second win.
Twice tested over this distance, he has scored his only win as well as a close-up second last time out coming off a break. With that run behind him, he looks hard to oppose.
Van Zyl has tasked jockey Craig Zackey to take the reins and a slightly more aggressive ride makes his chances of success so much better. It will be Zackey’s first ride aboard Secret Giver.
His biggest threat is Secret Is Ours from trainer Paul Peter’s yard.
This Dynasty gelding is also in search of his second career win 318 days in the making.
It is interesting to note that jockey Warren Kennedy will be aboard Peter’s charge after seven consecutive rides aboard Secret Giver.
Earlier on the card Defender Of Rights takes on 13 challengers in Race 4, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1400m.
She made her debut over the course and distance and, despite an awkward, slow start, flew over the last 400m to finish second, just 1.5 lengths behind the winner after lagging more than 8 lengths behind at the 400m marker.
All she has to do to exit the maiden ranks, is to get out of the starting stalls quicker this time round.
Trained by Stuart Pettigrew, this Flower Alley filly could well be one to follow in years to come.
Preview by Clive Robinson
