No. 2076 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 8th - THURSDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 2014
FAIRVIEW 1:05pm (Monday) p.4
VAAL 12:30pm (Tuesday) p.13
DURBANVILLE 1:20pm (Wednesday) p.26
VAAL SAND 12:50pm (Thursday) p.32
MR 80 HANDICAP at Vaal on Tuesday
ut that is half the fun of it. The term handicap race originated in the late 18th century, based on the 17thcentury trading game hand-in-cap, that involved trading possessions and an umpire deciding the difference in value. Money was put in a cap for the traders to put their hands in, to simultaneously draw them out full or empty to indicate agreement or
disagreement on the affair. In the 19th century, the term handicap was first used to describe the weight placed on the stronger horses to even up the race. It has fascinated us ever since and is one of the most hotly debated topics whenever racing folk gather.
Science
The very nature of midweek racing is such that modest and middle of the road handicaps and maiden
races tend to dominate the programme. In the less than exact science of structuring a racecard, of many dynamics, which include practicalities such as minimising the movement of the starting stalls, as well as catering to the aims of optimising betting turnover. In an ideal world, one will thus experience race order following similar distances as movement of the starting stalls creates a potential for wear and tear and
(USA)
B
The very idea that five legs of the Pick 6 at the Vaal on Tuesday are handicaps should be a natural red flag for punters. After all, the broad aim of handicapping is to get the field to finish in a dead heat. So playing professor and going narrow in certain legs could well be inviting disaster.
opportunities for something to go wrong. Taking account of betting turnover trends and customer behaviour, the earlier races also tend to be maidens, with Phumelela often opting to incorporate at least one such maiden event in the Pick 6.
No Nets
So Tuesday’s situation is nothing unusual, and this, combined with the removal of the safety net of the couplings, makes the Pick 6 a very attractive, but extremely difficult bet to win. That is shown in the telephone number dividends of late. While a trappy maiden race opens the exotic in the fourth race, one of the very open handicaps on Tuesday’s card
is the fifth race, an MR 80 Handicap run over a mile. Looking beyond the obvious of Captain Aldo and Eurakilon, there may be some value in Mike De Kock’s 4yo Jet Avenger who will strip fit after running a fair race over the course and distance a week ago. He was baulked and made a respiratory noise (a worry!) when not showing and running 3,55 lengths behind surprise winner Indian Giant there. That one meets him again but at 2,5kgs worse terms which could count in favour of Jet Avenger. While still only a one-time winner and a fellow that on paper has not improved a major deal in the six months since shedding his maiden,
he has not been that far off to suggest he couldn’t pop up.
Strong Finish
St John Gray’s Captain Aldo ran on strongly and finished only a quarter length behind Indian Giant in the same race. He is a kilo better off with the winner and is a lightly raced progressive looking sort who hails from a family of winners. Cont. p.2
Our Best Adverts Aren't Written They Are Running!
are His First Crop
STUNNERS
Tel: Mike Sharkey 082 372 2682 www.highlandsfarmstud.co.za