Vaal Betting Tips: Our trader looks ahead to South Africa’s racing
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With South Africa due to go into a three-weeklockdown at midnight on Thursday to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, this isthe final South African card that will be staged until at least April 17th.
Our man in the know has looked over the final day’s action at Vaal for us.
Leading Jockeys
Warren Kennedy, who currently leads the nationaljockeys’ championship, is the leading jockey at Vaal Racecourse so far thisseason having ridden 39 winners here since the season started on August1st.
S’manga Khumalo rode a treble at the last fixture here and hecurrently fills second place in this season’s Vaal table with 29 winners.
Both look to have strong books of rides onThursday, with Kennedy set to partner what is likely to be the shortest-pricedrunner on the card in maiden favourite Abdul at 1.10.
Warren Kennedy booked rides: Cloth Of Ice (11.50), Blue Moon City (12.30), Abdul (1.10), Highlander (1.45), Green Dragon (2.20), Opening Gambit (2.55), Grindelwald (3.30)
S’manga Khumalo booked rides: Afternoon Tea (11.50), Back To Black (12.30), Turf Master (1.10), Bellagio King (1.45), Tahitian Orana (2.20), Category Four (2.55), Strikeitlikeamatch (3.30)
Leading Trainer
Sean Tarry, who already has 50 Grade 1 wins on his CV, hastrained more winners than anyone else at Vaal Racecourse so far this seasonhaving sent out 36 winners at a strike-rate of just over 14%.
His Thursday runners include a couple of strongfavourites in Zuluonmystoep (11.15) and Siren Of Greece (12.30).
Sean Tarry runners: Zuluonmystoep (11.15), Siren Of Greece(12.30), Latin Opus & Flattley (1.45, both reserves), Jetorio (2.20)
Horse To Watch
Mike de Kock will be a familiar name to followers of racing in Britain or Dubai and his Akwaan looks a leading contender in the mile handicap at 2.55.
Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum’s three-year-old beat a couple of subsequent winners when breaking his maiden at this venue last month and could well have been allotted a workable mark for his handicap debut here.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
