Have a go go on Momo

Momo has been opened at 5-1 to win Race 8 at the Vaal today and that could be very good value.

The three-year-old filly, trained by Chesney van Zyl in Gauteng for his father’s KwaZulu-Natal-based yard, took five races to shed her maiden but since she has learned what winning is all about, the daughter of Ideal World has turned into a highly competent performer.

She snuck home by a head to win her Maiden, then flew up late on the Turffontein Inside track off a shocking No 12 draw to go down a head to Catwalk Tease, before notching up her second win with a very comfortable 2.90-length win over Roberta’s Passion.

She is unbeaten in two runs at the Vaal and returns to that track to contest a MR 85 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m. Momo does rise in class but with that comes a commensurate drop in weight so she comes into this event with just 52kg on her back.

Keagan de Melo rarely goes home without a winner on the Highveld these days and he gets the ride.

This is quite a hotly contested race and there are a number with chances. Continuing with the lighter weights the main danger to Momo could be Kirkconnel Lass, who carries just 50kg. A quick glance at her penultimate form line shows she was beaten nine lengths by Momo but she got a hefty bump at the start and was never in contention.

A better indication of her form came in her last run when she raced handily the whole way and was just beaten 0.40 lengths by useful High Seas Beauty. Mpumelelo Mjoka takes 2.5kg off her back.

Spring Wonder has Weichong Marwing on her back and this four-year-old Querari filly showed decent improvement last time when running a 3.70-length second behind Shivering Sea over this course and distance. She now meets her conqueror on 3.5kg better terms and might well be able to reverse the placings

Craig Zackey rode Shivering Sea to victory on that occasion and he is back in the irons. She was caught close home last time when beaten a head by Sporting Monarch, again over 1200m at the Vaal, for which she received another 2kg penalty – a total of 4.5kg for her last two runs.

Biblical Susan was one-paced last time when beaten 3.70 lengths by High Seas Beauty but might appreciate the drop from 1400m to 1200m. She also has the services of Gavin Lerena.