Wings Of Nike is a flyer at the Vaal

David Nieuwenhuizen has risen from small beginnings to establish a successful training stable on the Highveld. Starting out with bargain-basement horses 20-odd years ago, eking out a win here and there, the hippy-haired conditioner slowly won the respect of owners with deeper pockets and better-quality runners.

One such might be youngster Wings Of Nike, who runs in Race 1 at the Vaal on Thursday and is probably the best bet on the card.

The filly has run only three times, for two seconds and a fifth, with the latter effort coming a month ago when she was a 2-1 favourite but broke through the stalls before the start – never a good thing – and suffered a flesh wound in the race itself.

Recovered from that misstep, Wings Of Nike has been priced up as an odds-on favourite for the Work Riders Maiden Plate over 1000m. Her superior form over rivals and the services of experienced Joe Gwingwizha in the irons mark her out as a nap bet.

Nieuwenhuizen saddles two more horses at Thursday’s fixture: first-timer Chasing Cheetahs in Race 3, who is likely to need the inexperience, and Kissed By Fire in Race 6, who could give the trainer a winning double on the day.

Kissed By Fire is a battling maiden, it must be noted, but so are most of her opponents in the Maiden Handicap over the straight 1400m. The four-year-old filly has competed 12 times but has shown clear improvement of late and appears to be edging towards the winner’s box.

Former champion jockey Warren Kennedy takes over the controls and might be the catalyst needed.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

10 Wings Of Nike, 8 Smelting, 3 Maraca Ginger, 4 Frontline Fighter

Race 2:

1 Pin Up, 4 Ideal Angel, 5 Lady Calavera, 5 Little Rain

Race 3:

2 Blonde Act, 9 Tullamore Dew, 1 Flinders Range, 6 Indian War Dance

Race 4:

1 Red Hot, 2 Gilda Gray, 6 Indigo Winter, 3 Country Flame

Race 5:

1 Manterio, 2 Understated, 4 Jackson’s Duel, 5 Intercity

Race 6:

3 Kissed By Fire, 4 The Bomb Dotcom, 1 Fast Draw, 2 Lyntys Legacy

Race 7:

7 Leading Lad, 6 Twin Turbo, 3 Royal Escapade, 1 Romeo’s Magic

Race 8:

4 Space Race, 3 Feather The Nest, 1 Blue Eyes, 12 Samoa

Pick 6:

2,9 x 1,2,6 x 1,2,4,5,6 x 1,3,4 x 1,2,3,4,6,7 x 1,3,4 (R1620)

PA:

1,4 x 2 x 1 x 1,2 x 3 x 3,6,7 x 3,4 (R24)