Doosra can defy big weight

Doosra is a handful but has loads of ability and if he decides to behave himself, could be hard to beat in Race 5 on the Turffontein Standside track today, a Progress Plate over 1400m.

The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained three-year-old has won three of his five career starts, including the Graham Beck Stakes. However, in his last two starts he has caused the crew that helps load horses into the starting stalls a few headaches.

The first was the Grade 2 Dingaans and many fancied he could beat a strong field that included highly regarded Heavenly Blue and feature placed Bold Rex. However, he could only manage fourth behind Singapore Sling.

There is a possibility he found the 1600m of the Dingaans too far at that stage of his career because, reverting to 1400m in his next start, he misbehaved at the start again but still managed to beat Daffiq by 1.60 lengths. Fourth-placed Furiosa went on to run second in the Sea Cottage Stakes, franking the form nicely.

He carries 61kg and is not the best-weighted runner in the field. That honour goes to Al Sahem, a Silvano colt who represents the Sean Tarry-S’manga Khumalo combination.

Al Sahem has won over 1600m in both his starts to date. His debut win was by 4.50 lengths over Inn A Million. The runner-up is still a maiden but the third, fourth and fifth-placed horses came out to win their next starts.

He was well backed in his second start and justified the support with a 2.75-length victory over Cockade. He tries shorter again but arguably has more improvement to come than Doosra and must be included in calculations.

Punters wanting to build a pot for their exotic perms could come well with two-year-old maiden Miss Aphrodite in Race 1, a 1000m Maiden Juvenile Plate. The Corne Spies-trained filly was well beaten into third behind Kissable in a Juvenile Plate over this course and distance in her only start to date. She was backed at long odds that day and could make amends in this slightly weaker class.

Sandalwood looks her main threat. She came under pressure late when second to Green Plains over 800m at this track last month. The form of that race is still relatively untested but it could work out better than anticipated.

Mujallad could be hard to beat in Race 2, a 1000m Juvenile Plate. He takes on a fistful of maidens and had Whorly Whorly, one of his main threats, behind him when disappointing as favourite in second to Quinlan on debut.

The other already raced horse who could give cheek is Agitator, who faded from the lead when fourth to Puget Sound over 1000m this month in his first run, but watch the betting on first-timer Flying Free.