Picara looking good for a breakthrough win at the Vaal

Seasoned punters will hesitate before banking on an “experienced” runner in a Maiden Plate race. When horses have had numerous attempts to escape the lowest tier it’s generally because they’re not the most combative or the most consistent.

But conventions must be flouted if the situation demands – and that’s the case at Tuesday’s Vaal meeting, at which several races are very competitive affairs and require wide leg selections in the exotic bets.

The one runner sticking out like a sore thumb is Picara from the Clinton Binda yard in Race 6, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares up the 1400m straight course.

This lass has had 10 goes and has shown plenty of promise, with four runner-up finishes. But an arcane bit of racing lore has it that once a horse gets past eight runs without a win it is to be treated with suspicion.

The thing with Picara here, though, is that her opposition is rather weak and she will not have to be Igugu to beat them. The couple of runners that have shown glimpses of talent are coming off rest periods.

In-form Keagan de Melo partnered Picara for two of those second places and will have ideas about getting the best out of his mount.

The main threat will be Phillip Labuschagne-trained Mix The Magic and nervous punters might want to include the chestnut filly in their perms.

SELECTIONS

1: Mostly first-timers; watch the betting

2: 16 Zoom Lady, 5 Inevitable, 6 Inner Sense, 8 Percussionist

3: 7 Afraad, 1 Before Noon, 4 The Kop, 5 Twin Turbo

4: 10 Grecia, 8 Ebullience, 1 Mandalay, 3 Stormy Lass

5: 10 Double Magic, 12 Modern Magician, 4 Gone In Time, 13 Quick Run

6: 4 Picara, 6 Mix The Magic, 3 Red Carpet Girl, 7 Kiss To Dream

7: 13 Calibre Crest, 1 Forgotten Time, 12 Aspiringtoreign, 15 Gold Lava

8: 3 Duke Of Rain, 2 Ablueazure, 1 Flying Grace, 4 Clarkson

Pick 6: 1,4,5,7 x 1,2,3,8,10 x 4,10,12,13 x 4 x 1,12,13 x 1,2,3,4,8,11,13 (R1680)

PA: 16 x 1,7 x 1,8,10 x 10,12 x 4 x 13 x 1,2,3 (R36)