Winter Passion tries the sand for the first time
A competitive and hotly contested fillies and mares handicap is not the ideal way to end off what is expected to be a record-breaking Pick 6 pool at the Vaal on Saturday. We could of course close our eyes and banker the smart Var flyer Winter Passion in the R150 000 Listed Banyana Handicap – but it is her first run on the sand.
This race is run over the 1000m and as one would expect is loaded with pace.
Classy
Interestingly though, the last few renewals have seen the winner coming from just off them – and that is a factor to be taken cognisance of when attempting to unravel the puzzle. If they go to fast, they could fall into a hole.
Stan Ferreira’s classy Winter Passion has her season opener and returns from a break of 15 weeks – she is also untested on sand.
The Listed Bauhinia Handicap winner has clocked up 3 wins from her 7 starts and is very talented.
She runs off her turf rating here and while all quality and with collateral to the best of her generation, it is difficult to guage her genuine prospects against some good sand sorts.
Watch the betting.
Topweight
Tiger Quest has plenty in the tank
A better bet could be Dominic Zaki and Gavin Lerena who team up with the Australian-bred topweight Tiger Quest, who ran on really smartly to win her last start over the course and distance.
As good (if not better) on the turf, she beat Societi 2 lengths there, but is now 3,5kgs worse off with that one.
The Fort Wood filly Societi tops our ratings and the 4yo will be super fit, as she has had two runs since chasing Tiger Quest home in early August.
Societi showed her well -being on 11 September, when beating She’s A Tiger over the course and distance to register her fourth career win. Her trainer has told us that she is fit and ready and warrants inclusion.
Club Class
Club Captain is another who enjoys the course and distance, but has not won since February.
Her best recent effort was on turf and last time she never showed when 7 lengths behind Tiger Quest.
The playing field is levelled by Club Captain’s 5,5kg pull at the weights, but it would have been more encouraging if she had been showing a touch more enthusiasm.
Winter Darling has been rested nine weeks since going 4 lengths unplaced over the course and distance behind Societi.
She enjoys a 2,5kg swing with the last mentioned but tends to lack fight in the finish. She has also only won once from 14 starts.
Magner Duo
Roy Magner saddles a coupling, headed by the consistent Damage Is Done mare, Shiver ‘N Shake.
She is a gutsy girl who enjoys the sand and looks to hold the likes of Club Captain.
She was rather unlucky last time when dashing through late for a short head second behind Party Peg on the grass. She will be very fit and looks a nice quartet kicker in the hands of S’manga Khumalo.
Her stablemate Margot On Stage is no star, but shows plenty of pace and is another to have registered her last success on the sand. She can only be fancied for the back end of the quartets.
Geoff Woodruff’s Ntombe is battling for her second win and looks likely to have it tough here against the hard knockers.
Her last run was a poor effort, but her best two recent efforts are on sand. Still, she has to do more.
No Thanks
While it is foolhardy to discount trainer Corne Spies’ skills on the sand, we are going to give Boarding Call a miss.
The daughter of Announce returns from an unflattering sortie to Kimberley where she was well hammered in a modest handicap.
The same applies to Leon Erasmus’ second-stringer Styling, whose recent form is plain diabolical.
At Least Three
It may be safer to include a few in the Pick 6 calculations.
Tiger Quest looks well suited to come at them late off what will be a quick affair.
Winter Passion is class and could come out fresh, rather than in need of the outing.
Then Societi is handily weighted and a big runner.
There won’t be much in it.
