Work riders in the saddle at the Vaal

A couple of important card scratchings – highly fancied Beaded Gown in the first race and Goddess Of Light in the fourth – have made life a bit more difficult for punters at the Vaal on Tuesday.

Mike de Kock-trained Maria’s World is (thus far) still due to run, in Race 2, and takes over as the nap bet on a day of eight maiden contests.

Work riders move into the spotlight with the staging of the first leg of the 2021/22 Highveld Work Riders’ Challenge.

This popular annual showdown is run over three legs and is backed by operator Phumelela, the Racing Association and the Racing Trust in the interests of furthering the skills and careers of men and women who play a huge, largely unheralded, part in preparing racehorses for competition.

Fully fledged jockeys get the day off as the “backroom boys” engage in keen battle over a full race card. In each race, 10 points are awarded for first place, seven for second, five for third and three for fourth.

The winning rider of each of the three legs gets R5,000, while the overall winner across the three cashes in R20,000. Second prize is R10,000 and third R5,000.

The second and third legs of the Challenge are on Thursday 20 January and Thursday 14 April next year.

Last season’s champion work rider was Joe Gwingwizha, an experienced campaigner and winner of umpteen work-rider races at regular race meetings.

He has a fair book of rides on Tuesday, with Koopa Troopa and Love Bite bright prospects for trainer Fanie Bronkhorst in Races 2 and 3. Sean Tarry’s Knightflight and Shaylen Naidoo’s Gimme Royalty have chances later on.

However, Gwingwizha might be overshadowed in this first heat by Chamu Mabaya and Phenisile Monqawa.

Mabaya works for De Kock and will pilot aforementioned Maria’s World and well-fancied Angelsea in Race 7.

Mongqawa is to top lad to leading trainer Paul Peter and has potential winning mounts throughout the card.

SELECTIONS

1: 11 Vuitton, 9 Musical Kiss, 1 Lil Wahoo, 2 Quick Run

2: 4 Maria’s World, 1 Tuuletar, 2 Koopa Troopa, 6 Song Of Angels

3: 5 Volluto, 6 Maradiva, 16 Love Bite, 15 Sequoia

4: 5 Namibsroos, 1 Right Choice, 6 Back To Formentera, 11 Elusive Rocket

5: 7 This Generation, 8 Pink Legacy, 1 Duke Of Rain, 5 Absolute Value

6: 2 Dance Partner, 1 Viceroy, 7 After Me, 8 Indian War Dance

7: 3 Angelsea, 4 Eternal Life, 1 Kiss To Dream, 2 Watching Closely

8: 2 Global Player, 1 Ra’ed, 10 Indus Knight, 4 Gimme Royalty

Pick 6: 4,5,6,9,15,16 x 1,5,6,11 x 1,5,7,8 x 1,2 x 1,3,4 x 1,2,10 (R1728)

PA: 4 x 5,6,16 x 5 x 1,7,8 x 1,2 x 3 x 1,2 (R36)