28 horses stampeding down the combined expansive plains of two racetracks over a unique distance with a weight range of 14kgs from top to bottom. Throw in some in-and-out handicappers and a mixed spectrum of jockeys.
The inaugural R750 000 Grand Heritage looks like horseracing’s small scale answer to the national lottery.
Irish Pride has a smart turn of foot and will be right there
Hats off to Phumelela and the Racing Association for introducing some innovation through these bumper fields and decent prize money.
Is it the answer? We doubt it.
For the purists a race like this may well be classed as a gimmick and a once-off.
It is, after all, hardly a Gr1 weight-for-age contest and it won’t produce a horse of the year candidate or budding future star.
But besides the fact that it is unlikely to attract the attention or prick the curiousity of anybody outside of the game, what the Grand Heritage certainly does is give owners a bash at decent money and hard-pressed punters a challenge like they haven’t seen ever.
The field size and weight conditions enhance the random factor and the excitement and increased reward of being the lucky guy who may find the winner – and what about a one ticket quartet? Now you’re talking!
The draws have been a matter for debate.
The inside tends to be the promised land and while the tracks have been amalgamated, are we going to see traffic and shouts with the whole lot scooting to the inside?
Topweight
Newly married Andrew Fortune will have no problems making the scale on the topweight and supremely consistent Pivotal Pursuit, who has been set to carry 64kgs.
Consistent Pivotal Pursuit carries top weight
The evergreen 7yo is in the form of his life and meets his narrow conqueror National Key last time on a half kg better terms.
Fortune is a master at conserving energy and while probably not on the right side of the track, he will have a tactical plan to win this.
Bulleting Home is one of a three-pronged Sean Tarry attack and the consistent son of Western Winter must be fancied to go very close.
A winner of 3 of his last 5 starts, his handy running style down the inside could prove the key to staying out of trouble.
Traveller
Grant Van Niekerk – travels from Cape Town to ride Donny G
Grant van Niekerk travels from Cape Town to partner his Vaal specialist stablemate Donny G.
The Seventh Rock 4yo had excuses when third over a mile last time, but looks perfectly suited to this 1475m.
Lunar Approach is the third of the Tarry trio and has been whispered as the right one by a few experts.
The son of Right Approach was outgunned behind Kangaroo Jack last time after a five month rest and his two Triple Crown leg runs can be ignored. He could be effective back over the shorter trip on his earlier smart showings.
Gavin Van Zyl brings the smart looking Celtic Captain up from KZN.
The son of Captain Al got within 0,75 lengths of the classy Humidor when giving the Rivalland gelding 7kgs last time. He is now a kilo better off and must go into calculations.
KZN Kid
The Miesque’s Approval gelding Humidor is not without hope and this versatile five-time winner travels North for the first time.
KZN visitor Humidor is fit and tries the Vaal for the first time
Gavin Lerena and Johan Janse van Vuuren team up with the one-time classic hope Irish Pride, who may well be better than his 92 rating.
The son of Ideal World won his last start over similar and has an outstanding turn of foot and will arrive a fit horse.
Joey Ramsden has never been scared to travel and plunder the spoils in these parts and his Australian bred Macduff is the sole Cape representative in the field.
The son of Street Cry was Gr3 placed as a 2yo and while he has not really gone on to greater things, he must be some value after his storming win on the Greyville poly at his penultimate start.
Azz Man
The very competitive Mike Azzie has a solid trio in the race with all three looking to have very solid claims.
Mike Azzie – decent trio
Arctica was only beaten 0,30 lengths by Bulleting Home last time and now meets the Tarry galloper on 3kgs better terms. The son of Captain Al knows the track and has been very consistent lately.
Awesome Adam has won 4 of his last 6 starts and comes in wiith a handy galloping weight. The Australian bred 5yo has developed into a very consistent sort and could handle the step up.
Le Clos has pulled the cherry inside draw but seems the weakest of the three. He shows plenty of pace but has breathing issues.
There are others with chances. They include the inconsistent but classy Moofeed who rattled on strongly for third last time and who would need to run to above his best rating to win.
Then there is Tyrone Zackey’s Front Rank who looks well in on his best. He will be value and has run some great races.
Girls
The fairer sex are represented by a trio of competitive ladies.
Mike de Kock’s Persian Rug gets the blinkers removed and the daughter of Ideal World should be nearing solid fitness levels after two prep runs this month. She shows decent pace and has some reasonable ability – but looks an unlikely winner.
De Kock’s mare Persian Rug could find it tough
Shepard One is stablemate to topweight Pivotal Pursuit and finished 2,40 lengths behind Persian Rug last time. The Toreador mare would be a surprise winner.
Third of the girls is Geoff Woodruff’s Alexa, who has had a sprint prep since an unplaced effort in the KZN Fillies Guineas behind star Bela-Bela. She is drawn on the wide outside and may find it tough going.
It is a tough, wide open contest.
The nature of the race suggests that the draw and luck in running could play a major role.
We are siding with Humidor and Irish Pride to be there when it counts. Then throw in the value Macduff, Bulleting Home and the dark horse Lunar Approach to fight over the spoils.
But go wide as anything could happen.
