Trainer Chris Jonker has made a solid start to the season in South Africa, recording three wins and eight place-finishes from 23 runners for a win-place strike rate of about 48 percent.
The small-yard trainer sends out a pair in the card opener at the Vaal on Thursday 21 September, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares, and judged on form Mocha Macaroon looks perfectly placed to give Jonker his fourth winner.
This daughter of Rafeef jumped at odds of 100-1 in her first two outings, and performed accordingly.
Third time out, at 80-1, she almost caused a major upset when finishing third, beaten less than a length by Ivy League, who has gone on to record two more wins. That run was over the course and distance she faces on Thursday.
Mocha Macaroon has been improving ever since, and she is expected to jump sat very skinny odds at the eighth time of asking.
Mike de Kock’s maiden Arabian Red is expected to offer even less value in Race 2, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1800m. However, she does look the banker bet on the card.
The three-year-old daughter of Heavenly Blue is obviously looking for further and it’s hard to imagine her not getting the job done.
Candice Dawson seems to have found the perfect race for Perfect Witness, running her in Race 3, a Middle Stakes over 1800m. This Class A event sees 10 runners lining up with an average merit rating of 93.
Perfect Witness is best weighted and quite surprisingly has remained on a rating of 97 since June, despite recording two victories since. She is ideally drawn in gate 3.
Another sure thing on the day looks to be Primrose Path, who lines up in Race 4, a FM74 Handicap over 1600m.
Trained by Fanie Bronkhorst, the four-year-old Flower Alley filly will have none other than the maestro Piere Strydom in the saddle.
Primrose Path has scored two wins and three runner-up finishes from her last five starts, proving that she can maintain her best form.
Interestingly, she will be jumping from gate 8 for the third consecutive time.
Clive Robinson
