Fortune launches autumn assault at the Vaal

Trainer Ashley Fortune seems to have targeted Thursday’s meeting at the Vaal as a pivotal moment in her season. After a bit of a quiet time of late, her stable fields no fewer than 12 horses – some returning to the track after long breaks – and several have good winning chances.

Fortune’s stepson Aldo Domeyer travels up from Cape Town to ride a couple of the stable’s runners and we should take the hint.

The best seems to be Bard Of Avon in Race 5, a Progress Plate over 1000m. This three-year-old son of Var has not quite realised his abundant potential yet, but this could be when he starts getting it all together.

Bard Of Avon won on debut, was second in the Grade 1 Gold Medallion at Scottsville, and then won a small feature at Greyville on July day. Great things beckoned.

He didn’t do badly thereafter but didn’t shoot the lights out. So, he was given a 100-day holiday to gather his wits and come into this contest nice and fresh – and hopefully well-tuned.

Stablemate Captain Morisco is in good form and is one of the main dangers, but he’s not in the same class as Bard Of Avon.

Domeyer’s other job for the family is on Rozara in Race 7, an FM90 Handicap over 1000m. Only a three-year-old, the filly already has four wins on her resume.

Rozara’s last effort was in a small feature at Turffontein in mid-March when she finished a decent fourth in yielding going. That followed a hat-trick run and certainly didn’t suggest she might be going flat.

All the other Fortune runners on the card have money chances, with the standouts Special Variety in the sixth and Funky Music in the ninth.

SELECTIONS

1: 1 Maharanee, 9 Twin Strike, 5 Green Sceptre, 8 Star Coin

2: 1 Magic Tycoon, 2 Time For Glory, 6 October Fair, 5 None Other

3: 5 Night Lily, 1 Colour Coded, 6 Ray Indigo, 2 Country Flame

4: 1 DJ Junior, 2 Leeson, 3 Chariot Master, 9 Free Wylie

5: Bard Of Avon, 6 Lucy English, 3 Captain Morisco, 5 Constable

6: 5 Special Varity, 2 Imposing Angel, 1 On Cue, 12 Verinova

7: 5 Rozara, 1 Naarah, 6 Big Eyed Girl, 3 Sweet Sensation

8: 5 Power Ranger, 6 Gilded Butterfly, 1 Letsdoit, 2 West Point

9: 5 Funky Music, 6 Crown Plaza, 7 Back To Basics, 4 JP Two Thousand

Pick 6: 1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2,4,5,12,14 x 1,3,5,6 x 1,2,5,6,8,9 x 4,5,6,7 (R1728)

PA: 5 x 1,2 x 1 x 1,2,5 x 1,5 x 1,5,6 x 5,6 (R72)