There look to be a few nice form choices to bet on at the Vaal on Tuesday.
Tony Peter looks to hold a strong hand with some of his runners but the hardest horse to beat on the day should be Winds Of Change, who has got to be the most accomplished horse yet to win a race.
Winds of Change, who runs for the Mike and Adam Azzie father-and-son partnership, has only run once in a maiden field and was just touched off. That came after running two amazing races, finishing second at the highest level in the Western Cape.
To date he has run with some of the best of his generation, five of his six starts were in feature races including a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion. With a merit rating of 107 it is hard to believe he has yet to visit the winner’s enclosure.
It will take a very brave man then go against him in Race 3, when he is finally back in a Maiden Plate over 1200m. The next best rated runner, Pursuit Of Fame, comes in with a merit rating of 76 and is simply not in the same league. Winds Of Change is a banker in all bets and worth a decent sized win bet.
Cat O’Clock has met decent individuals and has not disgraced herself. The Peter-trained filly wasn’t far off promising Francilien recently and while it appears she didn’t go as well over 1400m in her last start, she only tired very late in her first start over the extra.
Given a more patient ride she should finish closer and is now running in a very weak field in Race 1, a Work Riders Maiden Plate over 1400m. She too could get her connections a winning interview.
Peter has two well-bred debutantes by Ill-fated top sire Lancaster Bomber, Pennsylvania (Race 2) and Anne Of Denmark (Race 4), as well as quick three-year-old Johnny Appleseed (Race 6), the stable has a good strike rate especially if the money comes.
But his best runner on the day could be Gimmeachoice who looked a progressive sort in the making the near the end of last season. The son of Gimmethegreenlight had done everything but win his last two.
He was expected to by the yard to win his last start but hung out in the closing stages over 1600m and perhaps that distance is at the end of his spectrum.
In Race 8, he runs in a Novice Handicap where he is drops to 1400m, and now wears a set of blinkers, so could take his turn.
Clive Robinson
