Chance to carry on Al

So when another filly is able to finish within 5.75 lengths of Sean Tarry’s charge in a Pinnacle Stakes, despite being 10kg under sufferance, that has to be considered an excellent effort.

Winter Al did just that in her last start over 1100m at Turffontein. The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained filly showed tremendous pace for most of the journey and only faded out late. So when you consider Carry On Alice won the race by 3.50 lengths, that puts Winter Al just 2.25 lengths behind stablemate Silver Class, who finished second.

Based on merit ratings Winter Al was 3kg out with Silver Class so had that race been a handicap, they should have finished very close together. Silver Class franked that form with a very useful 1.80-length second behind Tahini over 1450m at Turffontein on Saturday, giving the winner 5kg.

Being a Pinnacle Stakes the handicappers are unable to penalise the placed runners so Winter Al still runs off her rating of 76 when she returns to handicap company in Race 6 at the Vaal today, a MR 84 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.

Was is even more interesting about her last start was that she was out the starting stalls in a flash which was a far cry from her previous two starts where she fly jumped on one occasion and then refused to jump in her penultimate start.

Janse van Vuuren has clearly sorted out that problem so we should be able to rely on her getting out on terms. Randall Simons rode her last time and he is back in the irons.

The form of an up-and-coming young horse always needs to be taken into account and that is Movie Show from the Paul Peter yard. This daughter of Atso appears to be a little highly strung based on her first three starts but she found form with a facile maiden win over Nasmyth.

Her next race was even more impressive as she ran away to beat Tapaway by a long head in just 56.26sec. The runner-up came out and ran her field off their feet in a FM 76 Handicap over 1000m on the Turffontein Inside track with The Smell Of Rain behind her.

Erico Verdonese’s charge then came out to score an impressive win over 1400m at Turffontein in her next start. That puts Movie Show’s performances into perspective and with just 53kg on her back and talented apprentice Callan Murray in the irons, she needs to be included in all bets.