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By Mike Moon

Horse racing correspondent


Horses of Fortune can tell at the Vaal

S’Manga Khumalo reprises his role and, from a No 3 draw, the son of What A Winter appears to have his opposition cold.


 

Ashley Fortune had a dream start to her career as a racehorse trainer, crowned by a top 10 finish on the national championship log last season. She hasn’t produced such fireworks this term but has nonetheless had her yard ticking over pretty well and holds a spot in the current top 20 with 42 wins and R1.1-million in prize money.

Fortune is based at the Vaal and has particularly good seasonal stats at the riverside’s Classic track – adrift of only the juggernaut stables of Sean Tarry and Paul Peter.

She saddles a clutch of decent chances at the course on Thursday and they must be included in all computations.

Juvenile filly Bella Chica takes on a field of older females in Race 3, an Apprentice Classified Stakes, and is weighted to doddle it. She is the best-rated runner and gets 4kg off her already generous allotted 58.5kg, courtesy of rider Gabriel Pieterse.

The cherry on top is the fact that Pieterse was her companion in both her career victories thus far.

Fortune’s next salvo is in the fourth, a Maiden Plate over 1800m, with Time Spirit who impressed on debut over a mile on this track and looks primed to improve on that in his second outing.

S’Manga Khumalo reprises his role and, from a No 3 draw, the son of What A Winter appears to have his opposition cold.

Fortune has another good chance in the eighth and last race, an MR84 Handicap over 1600m, with Funky Music, who has come into commanding form of late and is looking for a follow-up victory under Ryan Munger.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

2 Night King, 1 Jet Cat, 6 Princess Queen, 4 Heart Of Harlem

Race 2:

1 Spanish Song, 5 La Fille, 2 Quick Run, 3 Smelting

Race 3:

4 Bella Chica, 5 Belle Of Belize, 3 Alex The Great, 1 Love Lies

Race 4:

7 Time Spirit, 1 Nussply, 2 Star Effort, 6 Jackson’s Duel

Race 5:

1 Two Fools Collide, 5 Super Duper, 4 Sophia’s First, 2 Princess Thianna

Race 6:

6 Readysetglo, 5 Putins Promise, 12 Love Posy, 11 Kind Judy

Race 7:

1 Sergei, 9 Opera Glass, 11 Rabia The Rebel, 3 Rainy Season

Race 8:

6 Back To Black, 11 Funky Music, 2 Dual At Dawn, 1 Stormy Winter

Pick 6:

3,4,5 x 7 x 1,2,4,5 x 5,6,7,11,12,14 x 1,3,9,11 x 1,2,6,11 (R1152)

PA:
1,5 x 4 x 7 x 1,5 x 5,6,12 x 1,9,11 x 6,11 (R72)

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