No. 1882
MONDAY
4
ISSN 1023 / 6996
29th OCTOBER- THURSDAY 1st NOVEMBER 2012
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.3
VAAL SAND 12:55pm (Tuesday) p.11
KENILWORTH 13:20pm (Wednesday) p.18
VAAL 12:10pm (Thursday) p.30
Sand Specialist - Sean Tarry's Across The Ice may carry too many guns with top jockey Piere Strydom in the saddle
R110 000 PINNACLE STAKES over 1200m at Vaal on Tuesday
T
It looks the standard sand saga of a straight shootout between Sean Tarry and Mike De Kock. That just about sums up the R110 000 Pinnacle Stakes to be run over 1200m on the Vaal sand track on Tuesday, where the two powerhouse outfits overshadow their opposition.
here are many punters who structure their Vaal sand exotic bets by including all of the Tarry and De Kock runners as a starting point, and then adding whatever else their budget permits. The dominance of the two leading Gauteng yards on this surface is well documented and Tuesday’s mainliner once again paints a picture of the potent imbalance of power. The well
weighted Leon Erasmus runner Prime Mover really looks the only horse capable of upsetting the particularly predictable happy ending.
Assault Four classy sorts make up the combined Tarry and De Kock assault on the race, and it is the former that probably holds the upper hand with proven sand campaigners in Mythical Palace and August Stakes winner, Across The Ice. Across The Ice has come into his own as a 6yo on the
sand and the son of Western Winter announced his resurgence with a superb win in the August Stakes run over Tuesday’s course and distance. Admittedly he did have the advantage of the 1 draw and the run of the race under a supremely confident Robbie Fradd there, but things were never in doubt as he glided clear to win by 5,25 lengths from the Bass’ highly-rated Captain’s Secret. Across The Ice then came out in his main mission, the
Gr2 Emerald Cup. He ran a great race to a point – only weakening very late to finish 2,25 lengths behind the winner, Meadow Magic. Across The Ice was receiving 2kgs from Meadow Magic, and had the likes of sand star Mr Tobin and his opponent here, Prime Mover well behind him. Prime Mover meets him on level weight terms, and was giving Across The Ice 2,5kgs when beaten over 13 lengths in the Emerald Cup. This is 200m shorter, which may cloud the straight collateral deductions substantially. Stablemate Mythical Palace is a year younger than Across The Ice, and has impeccable
form. He has won four of his last five starts on both surfaces. The Australian-bred son of Fusaichi Pegasus is a recent course and distance winner and showed his fitness by winning his last start on turf at the beginning of this month. He won his penultimate start most impressively over this circuit, when giving the capable Kentucky Sheik 6kgs and a two length beating. This is a trifle stronger than an MR 89 Handicap, but Mythical Palace continues to answer every call as he climbs the ladder, and may well be equal to the task.
Cont p.2
Australian While untried on the sand, the high quality Australian-bred 4yo Merhee is likely to be the De Kock stable elect.
LE A S N U R O T Y D A E R E P A e th C for 12 dy 20 Get rea ANTONIUS PIUS SPECTRUM WINDRUSH
A winner of two of his four starts, including a dazzling 9,50 length debut victory, he won smoothly and most impressively last Saturday when accounting for the highly rated General Sherman at level weights in a mile Novice Plate. If producing some of his still untapped turf ability on the sand, Merhee could be the considerable unknown factor and the dark horse to challenge Tarry’s two.
ALBERT HALL IMPERIAL STRIDE VAR BLACK MINNALOUSHE
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