Many people around the world consider two a lucky number. It is, after all, the smallest even number and is usually associated with good things, because good things come in pairs.
Well, on Thursday 14 September bettors might just find that number two can give them more than a double chance to score, as three runners on the day carrying saddle cloth number two look standout bets when eight races are carded to be contested at the Vaal.
In Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m, Kinshin Sha looks primed to exit the maiden ranks at the fourth time of asking.
This son of What A Winter didn’t attract much market support on debut, but nevertheless produced a decent effort to finish slightly better than just midfield.
Second time out he was also ignored, but ran a cracker to finish runner-up, just 0.25-lengths behind Richard The First. With that form line looking decent, it was no surprise that Kinshin Sha was showered with money next time out, but he found just one better in Moola Man.
With all three runs over this course and distance, Kinshin Sha is expected to jump at skinny odds, but he is also expected to make amends and reward followers. Trained by Lucky Houdalakis and ridden by Craig Zackey, Thursday must be his lucky day.
Striking Angel, trained by Fanie Bronkhorst, has also finished second in three of her career runs, and is expected to go one better in Race 3, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares also over 1200m.
Bronkhorst seems to have found the ideal race for this Royal Mo-filly as she is best-weighted of the 13 runners. She found problems in all three her outings to date, getting scalped, brushed and bumped. With any amount of luck, and the expected improvement, she is the one to beat with Calvin Habib in the irons.
Race 7, a FM 90 Handicap over 2000m, sees a small field of eight fighting for the honours, but is should be very competitive.
In the highlight on the card, Roy Magner’s Apache Fighter is 0.5kg better off with Opera Glass, who beat her by a nose last time out. Considering that re-opposing Paton’s Tears, who went down by 3.5-lengths, is now 3.5kg better off, it could get very close.
Princess Kesh and Special Charm, who also met recently over 2000m, are both in with a shout too, but Apache Fighter, with in-form Muzi Yeni in the saddle, gets the nod as the jockey does seem to get the best out of this five-year-old.
Clive Robinson
