No. 1952
MONDAY 1st - THURSDAY 4th JULY 2013
ISSN 1023 / 6996
4
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.4
VAAL
12:45pm (Tuesday) p.12
DURBANVILLE
1:05pm (Wednesday) p.23
VAAL SAND
12:55pm (Thursday) p.30
PINNACLE STAKES at Vaal on Thursday
T
The power combination of trainer Sean Tarry and jockey Piere Strydom will be in the final 48 hour countdown to the Vodacom Durban July when Across The Ice goes to post for a modest Pinnacle Stakes at the Vaal on Thursday. While the playing surfaces are worlds apart, the pair will be treating this race with the same professionalism as their historic double bid on Saturday. his is the literal calm before the storm for the big guns. Even for champion performers, a dollop of match winning confidence will be welcome.
and are on track to repeat their 2012 July success with current favourite Pomodoro. The bread and butter fare remains important though, and they have some serious business on hand at the Vaal on Thursday. Across The Ice just Lethal happens to also run in the Tarry and Strydom are one blue and red Van Niekerk of the most lethal trainer jockey silks, and although bred by combinations in the country, his owner went through the
sales ring at double the sales price of his star stablemate. Such are the quirks of investment in horses! We expect Across The Ice to add to his earnings tally on Thursday when he goes to post over his favourite course and distance
starts and improved for a nice second last time after running a shocker at his previous outing. In that 1450m Pinnacle Stakes at the same venue, he finished some 18 lengths behind the Mike De Kock trained Right Beauty and meets the grey on the same weight terms here. That was just not Across The Ice’s run though and we are opting to put a line through the statistic and bin it in favour of giving Tarry’s chestnut another chance. He does hold Right Beauty on their last course and distance meeting.
He could find this 1200m on the sharp side and is drawn widest of all. Across The Ice’s stablemate Follow The Piper looks like she is ready for the paddocks after losing enthusiasm for her racing in recent months. This well performed daughter of Tiger Ridge is a course and distance winner and with ten races in the bag, may decide to gallop again. Which makes her a place prospect.
Day Visit
Summerveld based Frank Robinson is a rare visitor to the Vaal, and he brings the Silvino gelding Bay Route to Acceleration Right Beauty is a good sort town for his first sand effort. Shocker This fellow looked very Now a six year old, Across and ran on well enough at his The Ice has won 7 of his 43 last start on sand over a mile. promising at one time and the
switch to sand is probably a move induced by frustration at his lack of enthusiasm and opportunity at home. Paul Matchett and Randall Simons team up with Boy Oh Boy. The son of Kahal is a course and distance winner who has lost form since being stepped up in ground. He may enjoy the reversion to the sprint and certainly has the pace to make them pick up their feet. Cont. p.2