No. 2014 ISSN 1023 / 6996
MONDAY 3rd - THURSDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2014
FLAMINGO PARK 12:20pm (Monday) p.4
VAAL 12:40pm (Tuesday) p.11
KENILWORTH 12:10pm (Wednesday) p.24
VAAL SAND
Top Form. The Var mare Miss October is enjoying her racing in Gauteng and tries the sand for the first time
12:35pm (Thursday) p.31
SUMMER SPEEDSTERS & LIGHTNING STAKES at Vaal on Thursday
T
The sun has set on the glitz and glamour of the J&B Met at Kenilworth on Saturday and we move on to an entirely different universe where the Vaal sand plays host to a rare weekday double feature on Thursday. A smart daughter of Var has come good since her recent move to Gauteng and she catches the eye in the R125 000 Summer Speedsters run over 1000m.
he nine race Vaal sand programme may not have attracted anything like the level of performer seen down South on Saturday, but it remains a veritable feast for
the regular punter who enjoys well patronised and competitive racing, without the frivolous fashion and silly sideshows.
Double Feature
The non black type double feature bill on the afternoon
caters for both sexes and the lightly raced Var mare Miss October stands out as a big runner. That is if she takes to the sand with her electrifying turf toe. The Northfields Stud bred Miss October has had her fair
share of trainers in a solid, albeit not illustrious career on the racetrack. She made a winning debut at Durbanville for Neil Bruss in October 2011 and was to win 3 of her first 4 starts before losing her way slightly. She is stakes placed and can turn it on when in the mood. She switched yards from Bruss to Dennis Drier for her fourth outing, which she won at Scottsville .
Some Time
That was to be Miss October’s last victory for
some time though until her third trainer Geoff Woodruff produced her to win a Pinnacle Stakes, slamming a small field of strong sprinting males at Turffontein on 21 January. That win was not unexpected as she had blossomed since changing yards to Geoff Woodruff and her four Gauteng runs were all promising. At her penultimate start, she ran a cracker when galloping on powerfully for a 0,35 length third in the Gr3 Lebelo Sprint behind Jade Bay.
Fit and well and obviously enjoying her racing, Miss October has her first run on sand and can only be taken on trust on that score.
Turnaround
But she will have to be on her toes to beat Dominic Zaki’s Tiger Quest. Cont. p.2