An interesting but competitive MR 100 Handicap for three-year-olds over 1450m tops the card at the Vaal Racecourse on Thursday 28 December when they will race on the Classic track.
This will be run around the turn and is one of the distances over which draws can play a key role in the outcome but with just nine runners in the field the impact may not be that severe.
However, it is always less stressful for a jockey to be able to place his mount without having to rely on gate speed or assistance of others when the gates open.
In this case the advantage of draw No 2 could pay dividends for Tony Peter-trained Sunshine Day. Peter’s charge moved up from the Western Cape in August at the start of the new season and so far has had four runs for the stable.
The daughter of Potala Palace finished second in a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over the straight Vaal 1400m behind first-timer On The Horizon in her first start on the Highveld and that form line has turned out to be very strong with three runners going on to win their next starts. The winner went on to triumph in her next two outings and her unbeaten run was only recently snuffed out when she was touched off by George Handel in her last start.
Sunshine Day’s next outing was in a work riders’ Maiden Plate which she won comfortably by 2.75 lengths. However, although beaten, it was her third run for the yard which really impressed as she finished a three-length third behind Gimme A Nother over 1600m.
That winner has gone on to claim two back-to-back Graded races against two very strong fields and remains unbeaten after four starts.
Sunshine Day also gave the form of her penultimate run a boost when coming out over 1400m on the Turffontein Standside track to beat Southern Blaze by a comfortable 1.25 lengths.
She only received a three-point penalty (1.5kg) for that victory so looks well handicapped with 55kg on her back.
Calvin Habib takes the ride once again.
Wyzeact was well supported to win her last start, but the Corne Spies-trained runner bumped one too good in Taegan’s Champ, going down by 1.25 lengths. This Act Of War gelding has only raced four times for a win and three places and will certainly win his fair share of races. However, he did shy away from the crop last time and is still showing his inexperience. S’manga Khumalo is back in the irons once again and Wyzeact must be respected.
Chasing Happiness could not have been more impressive when winning on debut by 4.10 lengths but has been narrowly defeated in her next two starts over 1160m and 1200m respectively.
This daughter of Rafeef might be looking for further these days and needs to be included into one’s calculations, but it must be noted that Gavin Lerena will put up 1kg overweight.
Clive Robinson
