Gee, here comes Donny

When the Sean Tarry stable starts firing, they are usually worth following. Of course, they are not going to win with every runner but you will get a good run for your money.

That is why it is worth going with Donny G to win Race 7 on the Vaal Classic course today, a MR 104 Handicap over 1200m.

Donny G’s last run was in the Grand Heritage over 1475m and in that race he was not all that well treated, having to come in with 62 on his back. The form line shows he finished 12^th, 5.30 lengths behind Irish Pride, and that he had Miracle Bureau almost three lengths ahead of him.

However, he is now 1.5kg better off and the son of Seventh Rock suffered quite a lot of interference. As Donny G has won three of his four starts over this distance there is little doubt he will benefit from racing over 275m shorter.

The one concern is that this is his first run on the Classic track which sees him racing around the turn. His two runs on the Inside track at Turffontein are hardly encouraging either as he finished well back in both encounters. However, he went off at big odds for those two events, which demonstrates there was not much stable belief in him. Secondly, they both took place before he was gelded. He has been a different horse since, setting up a record of three wins and three places in seven starts.

S’manga Khumalo takes the ride and they jump from barrier No 6.

Miracle Bureau was priced up as the early favourite for the Grand Heritage which seemed to surprise trainer Joe Soma. He eventually started at 20-1 but certainly did not embarrass himself in finishing 2.35 lengths behind Irish Pride and with just 52kg to carry the four-year-old son of Trippi has to be a massive contender.

As all of his wins have been over 1200m, he will also benefit from the drop in trip as well as the fact that this will be his third run after a layoff so any kinks in fitness will have been ironed out.

He is 1.5kg under sufferance which is not in his favour but he will have the services of Muzi Yeni who has ridden many a big winner for the stable.

The only concern is that his one run on the Classic track was disappointing but it was over 1450m and he was given a break after that effort.

Will Pays is a six-time winner and his form cannot be ignored. However, only one of them has been over 1200m and it appears Mike Azzie’s charge would probably prefer further.