The High Road. Mike De Kock’s Bluroute looks the part to cause the upset
The R150 000 Listed Queen Of The Sand is the fairer sex’s supporting feature on the Vaal sand on Tuesday where a field of ten fillies and mares line up over a mile in the final leg of the jackpot.
Sean Tarry and Piere Strydom team up with the ten time winner Follow The Piper, who reverts to her favourite surface after an unplaced run on the turf last time out. She has been rested just over 9 weeks and could bounce back racing fresh from a top yard.
Paul Matchett’s Goldkeeper mare Raise The Bar was well beaten over 7 lengths by Formation at their last clash in the Listed Nkosazana Stakes and has just a half kilo in her favour. That should not be sufficient to reverse the score. She is however 6,5kgs better off with Rebel Queen for a 12,25 lengths beating there.
Mike De Kock’s Australian bred Bluroute has her first run on the sand and has disappointingly only managed 1 win from her 13 starts to date. Often touted as something above average, she is Gr3 placed and had excellent earlier form on the turf before losing the plot.
St John Gray’s Sarge mare Formation is a course and distance winner and is 6kgs better off with Rebel Queen, who beat her five lengths in the Nkosazana Stakes last time out. Prior to that she was a well beaten second in the Gr3 Acacia Handicap, after showing good pace. A winner of 7 of her 20 starts with 9 places, she owes no debt and will run another good race here.
Corne Spies’ Rebel Queen has outgunned at her last two feature starts after an excellent win at Listed level over 1450m at this track. She is a versatile and game galloper who is untested over this distance, but her relaxed style of running would suggest that she will stay the trip. She is nothing if not extremely fit and jumps from the best draw.
The lightly weighted Diane Stenger trained Rivulet has won 2 of 14 starts and could be the value bet. She has good recent course and distance form and comes into the race a fit filly.
It looks quite tough for the rest.
If coming out fit, Follow The Piper could challenge for top honours with the classy Bluroute a value priced danger. Raise The Bar. Formation and Rebel Queen are consistent, while the paper weighted Rivulet may be the quartet kicker.
