A week ago, three overdue maidens were identified as potential winners at the Vaal racecourse.
Two of those – Courageous and Azaleas For All – lived up to expectation and went boom-boom.
Policy Of Truth, however, was beaten 0.1-lenghts by the Clinton Binda-trained Mariachi Madness, with Siyanda Sosibo in the irons. Considering that Mariachi Madness paid 40-1 for the win, one should be forgiven for picking the tote favourite in that one.
On Thursday 14 December, a number of overdue maidens will yet again be lining up at the Vaal, and again they should provide bettors with a solid start to the day.
In the card opener, a 1000m dash for fillies and mares, Brett Webber’s Flying Puma should do justice to her name under work rider Nkosithandile Ngqwangi. A veteran of 90 races, which has produced four wins and 30 places, the jockey just needs to keep his cool to score victory number five.
Considering that she finished just 2.75-lengths behind two-time winner Sunshine Day back in September, Flying Puma really should get her act together at the seventh time of asking.
She jumped at 100-1 on debut, but that shortened to 7-2 second time out – proof that punters and bookmakers alike see her potential. Time to deliver.
In Race 2, also over 1000m, three fillies and seven three-year-old boys are sure to produce a thriller.
Bob, trained by Tony Peter, was a money magnet in his last two starts going off at 28-10 in his penultimate and 18-10 last time out. Still in maiden company, it does seem to be do-or-die for this William Longsword-gelding. Considering that his conditioner has tested him over four different distances in his four-run career, it does seem to suggest that he is a bit of an enigma.
In Race 4, a Maiden Plate over 1450m, four-year-old Lady Greensleeves is the only filly taking on ten boys. This daughter of Gimmethegreenlight has not lived up to expectations after selling for R400,000 at the National Yearling Sale in 2021.
Trainer Sean Tarry is again testing her over a distance she does not seem to like, but one can only assume that he is prepping he for much further once she does mature.
A variety of tactics, including front-running, has not given her much joy, so if she doesn’t get it right this time round, expect to see her tried over way further next time out.
In the lucky last, a FM76 Handicap over 1000m, Inventrix is the one to beat.
A daughter of What A Winter, she has recorded two wins and two runner-up finishes in her last four outings. Despite this phenomenal run, her merit rating has only been upped ten points, so it really does seem that she is slightly ahead of the handicapper, so following her remains the order of the day.
Clive Robinson
