Bling and Muzi set to share the spoils at the Vaal

Jockeys S’Manga Khumalo and Muzi Yeni look likely to share the riding honours at Thursday’s race meeting at the Vaal.

It is what people call a “trappy” card, with little form to get excited about. Happily, the country’s two most popular riders have strong hands to play, giving punters beacons to guide them through the day.

The last two races on the programme offer the best bets, with “Bling” on Portico in Race 7 and “Yeni Across the Muzi” on Lady Of The Flame in Race 8.

Paul Peter-trained Portico has not quite lived up to his early promise when he won two of his first four outings and got lumped with a high merit rating. His efforts in a series of feature races since then suggest he isn’t at that level yet and his MR is falling.

Here he tackles a Graduation Plate and, even though he is allotted top weight, he is handicapped to win for the first time in more than a year.

Yeni will be smarting from narrowly missing out on a couple of big wins at the Durban July meeting at the weekend, so will be in determined mood. A determined Muzi is a dangerous fellow.

His best on the day could be Lady Of The Flame, trained by Paul Matchett. This three-year-old filly is by Act Of War, also father of the trainer’s champion War Of Athena, who was an achingly close third in the Garden Province Stakes at Greyville.

Lady Of The Flame is not in the league of her sibling, remaining a maiden after 11 tries. But she is obviously game and consistent and has recently shown her best form.

Her chances of getting on the board are greatly enhanced by the fact that the opposition is no great shakes.

Earlier, Yeni will have high hopes for Mike de Kock-trained Night King in the fourth and his old Flamingo Park pal Corrie Lensley’s Alesian Chant in the sixth.

Khumalo’s other highlights come in the second and third with Sicilian Tiger and Quest From Afar respectively.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

10 Mr Livingston, 1 Fort Commander, 3 David’s Palace, 7 Willtowin

Race 2:

10 Sicilian Tiger, 3 Excellarator, 7 Letsdoit, 1 Chief Rafeef

Race 3:

12 Quest From Afar, 11 Puff Of Smoke, 6 Meteoric, 7 Nena’s Star

Race 4:

1 Night King, 4 Brief Crusade, 6 Maraca Ginger, 2 Lulu’s Boy

Race 5:

8 What A Miracle, 6 Princess Queen, 1 Smelting, 5 Moonshiningthrough

Race 6:

5 Alesian Chief, 4 Successful Secret, 3 Ice Breaker, 6 Jet Cat

Race 7:

1 Portico, 2 Lucy In The Sky, 3 Love Lies, 5 Hey Gorgeous

Race 8:

1 Lady Of The Flame, 3 Kissed By Fire, 7 McKenna Skye, 2 Dancing Arabian

Pick 6:

6,12 x 1,4 x 1,6,8 x 3,4,5,6 x 1,2,3,5 x 1,2,3,7 (R768)

PA:

3,7,10 x 6,11,12 x 1 x 1,6,8 x 4,5 x 1 x 1 (R54)