There are two secrets punters will need to know about Thursday’s race meeting at the Vaal – and they both run in the same race.
This is not the easiest of cards to find winners so if one has plans to catch a few of the exotics, one will need to take a few chances.
If you pick it right, there is loads of money to be won.
In Race 7, a MR 72 Handicap over 1800m, a total of 16 runners are carded to face the starter, but despite the big field, this is where brave bettors will be looking at Secret Giver and the Secret Is Ours, as the duo to fight it out.
Trained by Gavin van Zyl, Secret Giver, a four-year-old Philanthropist gelding, has finished outside the top four in only two of his 10 career outings – not beaten more than 3.45 lengths.
He is as honest and hard-working as they come and looks set to record a well-deserved second win.
Twice tested over this distance, he has scored his only win as well as a close-up second last time out coming off a break. With that run behind him, he is expected to run well again.
Van Zyl has tasked jockey Craig Zackey to take the reins and a slightly more aggressive ride makes his chances of success so much better. It will be Zackey’s first ride aboard Secret Giver.
His biggest threat is Secret Is Ours from trainer Paul Peter’s yard. This Dynasty gelding is also in search of his second career win, his last coming 318 days ago.
This four-year-old only joined the Peter yard in November and was gelded almost as he came into the yard. He has had two runs since then, both over shorter and with blinkers fitted, He performed well enough to finish a close-up fourth in both and should be well primed for this race.
It is interesting to note that jockey Warren Kennedy will be aboard Peter’s charge after seven consecutive rides aboard Secret Giver.
Jack Milner’s selections
Race 1: 3 Dame Twining, 11 Tabby Kat, 12 Vivir Mi Vida, 5 Lady Greensleeves
Race 2: 8 Lady Osier, 4 Quick Run, 3 Bethany, 1 Song Of Liberty
Race 3: 12 Venerable, 4 Castle Of Glass, 3 Blonde Act, 8 Copernicus
Race 4: 8 Defender Of Rights, 6 Aga Heat, 2 Petunia, 3 Miss Otis
Race 5: 12 Light Warrior, 10 Quattro Passi, 9 Wondering Star, 3 Displace Time
Race 6: 8 Letsdoit, 10 Roger The Dodger, 4 Evening Rise, 12 Zulu War Cry
Race 7: 4 Secret Is Ours, 3 Secret Giver, 11 Orus Apollo, 7 West Point
Race 8: 2 King Arthur, 1 My True North, 6 Astrocyte, 3 Arlington Action
Race 1 No 3 Dame Twining
VALUE BET
Race 6 No 8 Letsdoit
BEST SWINGER
Race 2 4×8
tabonline.co.za – Jack Milner
