No. 1962
MONDAY 5th - THURSDAY 8th AUGUST 2013
ISSN 1023 / 6996
4
Lightning Fast. Var's super sand speed machine La Volta could go all the way at the Vaal on Monday
VAAL
1:00pm (Monday) p.4
CLAIRWOOD
1:05pm (Tuesday) p.11
DURBANVILLE
1:10pm (Wednesday) p.22
TURFFONTEIN
1:05pm (Thursday) p.29
PINNACLE STAKES at Vaal on Monday
T
Supreme sand racing will be the focus of attention for the next couple of months as we build up to Africa’s richest race on that surface on 28 September. Berths are always at a premium for the Emerald Cup and with current form a naturally dominant yardstick, the marginals will be looking to make a case for their inclusion.
he R115 000 Computaform Express Pinnacle Stakes to be run over 1000m at the Vaal on Monday has attracted a competitive field of eleven quickies.
Regular
Sean Tarry’s classy Western Winter gelding Across The Ice is an Emerald Cup regular, and the optimistic view might be that he is set for his peak assault on the big race this year. That conclusion is drawn
from the simple fact that he ran fifth in 2011 and took a step up to fourth last year in the big sand race. This sprint will be an integral stepping stone to keeping Across The Ice on the boil(for want of a better word) for that commitment in seven weeks time and he
stands out as the genuine class horse in the race. Across The Ice is a seasoned campaigner and has won 8 of his 45 starts to date. He ran a rather flat race on the turf last time but won his penultimate outing in great style over the Vaal sand 1200m. He is a course and distance winner and will be ridden by the full of confidence S’manga Khumalo. On the ratings, he looks just about unstoppable.
though and chief amongst his adversaries is the Leon Erasmus trained Benbow. One of a three way coupling, the speedy Bezrin gelding is something of a course and distance specialist, and much like Across The Ice, is not the same horse on turf. He ran a below par effort on the grass last time out, but only needs to repeat his penultimate effort over the course and distance, when beating Across The Ice by 2,25 lengths. He is now 1,5 kgs worse Speed Surplus off with Across The Ice and There is a lot of speed for there should not be too much the 7yo to contend with between them.
Power Team
His stablemate, the Var Gold Rush Sprint winner Nice Stride, has his first run on the sand. It is worth respecting the son of Imperial Stride, as he hails from the yard of one of the best conditioners of winners on this surface in the astute Leon Erasmus. Cont. p.2