Get more Effortless Reward at the Vaal

It’s never easy to win three races in a row but Effort­less Reward has lived up to her name in her last two starts and could deliver the goods again in Race 7 on the Inside track at the Vaal tomorrow, a FM 89 Handicap over 1000m.

Louis Goosen’s charge was giv­en a short rest from 14 February to 11 May and the break has stood her in excellent stead.

She returned to action in a race over the Vaal Inside 1000m and made every post a winning one, coming home 3.20 lengths clear of Gratuity, unfancied at 12-1. Fourth place that day went to Burgundy Rose, who came out next time to also beat Gratuity over the same course and distance.

Effortless Reward defied a seven-point penalty over the Turf­fontein Standside 1000m last time out with another good win. She did it tough that day, disput­ing the lead with Hashtag Strat (runner-up again next time and then third in the Durban Dash at Greyville on Saturday) from the off before edging ahead to win by 0.40 lengths.

Handicappers pushed her mer­it rating up another two points and she carries 60kg, including jockey Gunter Wrogemann, but in her current form she could again rise to the occasion.

Candice Dawson-trained Jame­son Girl bit off more than she could chew at this stage of her ca­reer in the Camellia Stakes over 1160m at Turffontein last month, when seventh behind Joan Rang­er. Just Vogue was a neck ahead of her but is 7kg worse off.

The Jay Peg three-year-old has scope for improvement in her sev­enth start and must rate a danger with only 52kg to carry.

She had not finished unplaced before that with her form includ­ing a facile 1000m win over Fash­ion Blast on the Vaal Outside track in December and a second to Free­ly Forever (won again next time) over 1000m at Turffontein. Then sent over 1450m, she finished a distant fourth.

She will be sharper for that Camellia Stakes run and could be the one for Swingers and Exactas.

Bondiblu and Dalley look set to fight out Race 4, a Middle Stakes for fillies and mares over 2400m.

Bondiblu is ultra-consistent and got just reward for finishing thereabouts six times running with a 2000m win over Peg O’ My Heart on this track. She is as ef­fective over this 400m longer trip and has enough time in the back straight for jockey JP van der Mer­we to overcome No 15 draw.

Dalley has done well in her two starts over long distance, finish­ing fourth and second in 2600m races at Turffontein.