High-flying Fortune rules on the Classic circuit

Ashley Fortune has had a cracking start to the 2021/22 racing season and lies in seventh place on the national trainers’ log. She is the leading female trainer – just ahead of Candice Bass-Robinson – and has already topped R1 million in stakes won.

On the Vaal Classic track, which hosts another race meeting on Thursday, Fortune is way out in front with R432,000 accumulated – from seven winners and a first-three strike rate of more than 64%.

The effervescent conditioner can enhance these stats on Thursday with the likes of Dame Of Flames, who should win her maiden in the second race, and On Cue or Abalus, first and second favourites in the sixth.

Dame Of Flames had a good debut on 31 August, running on into third place over 1500m on the Classic course. A slightly longer trip of 1600m can only be an advantage to the daughter of Futura, while the retention of leading jockey Lyle Hewitson indicates a plan is quickly coming together for classy-looking Dame Of Flames.

Fortune has a couple of bright chances in the third race with Capetown Affair and Secret Is Ours, but both will have their work cut out getting ahead of Sean Tarry-trained Senescence, who has come into hot form and is overdue a win.

Fortune also tackles the sixth two-fisted, with On Cue backed up by an able Abalus. Their domination of the Classified Stakes race over 1000m is threatened by the likes of Frontline Fighter, Samoa and Bronco Blitz.

Rozara in Race 8 is Fortune’s closing jab for the day and the progressive three-year-old filly could provide a stable treble if she can deal with betting board rivals Miracle And Wonder and Meteoric.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

7 Corapi, 5 Invincible Wall, 1 Quality Joker, 3 Mister Blue Sky

Race 2:

8 Dame Of Flames, 9 Kizzmekia, 7 Tuuletar, 1 Bold Decision

Race 3:

8 Senescence, 9 Capetown Affair, 1 Secret Is Ours, 2 Humble Tune

Race 4:

4 Money Fighter, 8 Noble Striker, 2 Last Of The Legend, 3 Flying Grace

Race 5:

1 Mitch Got His Wish, 6 Linganomore, 5 Louvain, 4 Bella Rosa

Race 6:

3 On Cue, 4 Frontline Fighter, 5 Abalus, 7 Samoa

Race 7:

1 I Dream Of Genie, 3 Emerlad Coast, 1 Greens, 7 Franca

Race 8:

4 Miracle And Wonder, 2 Metoric, 9 Rozara, 7 Amazing Orchis

Pick 6:

8,9 x 2,4,8 x 1,3,4,5,6,7 x 3,4,5,7 x 1,2,3,5,6,7 x 2,4 (R1728)

PA:

8,9 x 8 x 4 x 1,5,6 x 3,4 x 3,6 x 4 (R24)