No. 1970
MONDAY 2nd - THURSDAY 5th SEPTEMBER 2013
ISSN 1023 / 6996
4
Class Act. The consistent Pylon is at the top of his game and heads the Azzie quintet
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.4
SCOTTSVILLE
12:50pm (Tuesday) p.11
KENILWORTH
12:30pm (Wednesday) p.18
VAAL SAND
1:00pm (Thursday) p.31
JC PHOTOGRAPHY
CONDITIONS PLATE at Vaal on Thursday
T
The national attention during this quiet period on the turf remains firmly focussed on the supreme sand celebrations down Vereeniging way. A high quality field goes to post for Thursday’s Vaal headliner, where trainer Mike Azzie saddles an army. The top conditioner sends out an extraordinary five of the eight runners.
he sand season climax of the Emerald Cup is under a month down the road and competition is hotting up for the limited berths available to make a bid for Africa’s richest sand prize.
While this event is run over 1800m, there may well be a few aspiring diamond diggers amongst the bunch that lines up. After all, the sand surface often sees the longer distance types getting lucky over slightly shorter, given the right conditions.
Azz Army
The charismatic ‘Azz Man’ has few peers when it comes to getting horses fit and ready to win on the sand and he will hold high hopes of banking the lion’s share on Thursday. Three of his five are sired by Fort Wood, and they are
capable of reversing the form with each other, although Pylon and Emperor Augustus stand out. The smart Fort Wood gelding Pylon probably heads the Azzie quintet and this eight time winner is effective on both surfaces. Originally christened Pylon by the evergreen recent Equus racing media award winner Jimmy Lithgow, the 5yo has changed hands and now runs in the orange and black Van Vuuren silks. He formerly campaigned in the yellow and black Bridget Oppenheimer silks.
Prime
Pylon is a multiple course and distance winner who is in the prime of his racing life. He won his last start in solid and convincing style beating Mr Tobin a length and had his stablemate Magic Smoke seven lengths behind him. The mare meets Pylon on 5,5kgs better terms here, but Pylon may be the better over the extra 200m and holds her on some of his previous outings. Magic Smoke gave the smart Uncle Tommy (check his run in Saturday’s August Stakes) weight and a beating
over the mile at this track in June. That gives her a serious chance here
Topweight
The ten time winner Eastern Cobbler carries a hefty 63kg topweight and has won two of his last three starts, all on the turf. Cont. p.2