Expect a Barbel Run to take place at Vaal

The gelding can achieve this win when he lines up in Race 8 at the Vaal today in a MR 86 Handicap over 1200m on the inside turf track.

The four-year-old son of Joshua Dancer has been ultra-consistent of late, and has only finished out of the first three once in her last seven starts. When he did run unplaced it was over 1400m behind Forest Fox, a horse trainer Paul Peter believes is going right to the top.

Barbel Run has finished a 2.25-lenth third behind Sean Tarry’s highly regarded Zambezi River and last time had an excuse after running a 1.25-length second to Viking Hero over 1200m on the Turffontein inside track.

Then he did not have much luck when squeezed out at the start and had to make up ground on the winner. Francois Herholdt has the ride and they jump from barrier No 11.

The obvious danger is Punk Rocker, who joined the Mike de Kock stable in October last year. The three-year-old son of Trippi ran promisingly last time after a short rest when a two-length third behind Dollar Dazzler in a Graduation Plate over the course and distance. Laird trains Dollar Dazzler so he should have some idea of how Barbel Run should perform against Punk Rocker but De Kock’s runner needs to be respected, especially with Anthony Delpech up.

Carter finished 0.75 lengths behind Barbel Run in their race against Viking Hero and meets his rival on 0.5kg better terms. That should bring them closer together but Carter does tend to battle with respiratory issues, despite racing with a tongue tie, and that could affect his chances.

However, Peter has engaged S’manga Khumalo for the ride and that will certainly assist his chances.

Glasswing had a promising first outing for trainer Stuart Pettigrew after a stint in KwaZulu-Natal with Patrick Lunn. He contested a MR 94 Handicap over this course and distance and after having given away some ground at the start, ran on well to finish a two-length fourth behind Zortziko. Marco van Rensburg takes the ride.