It looks to be in the Scheme Of Things

Two handicaps for three-year-olds top the card for the Vaal today and trainers Mike Azzie and Gavin van Zyl could walk off with the goods.

Azzie sends out Scheme Of Things in Race 7 while Van Zyl saddles Frosty Friday in Race 6, which is specifically for fillies. Both races are over 1700m.

Scheme Of Things ran in quite strong company last time over this course and distance and took on Val Et Al and Leigh Woods. There was not any money for him and the son of King’s Apostle took a walk in the betting from 11-2 to 12-1, however, jockey JP van der Merwe always had him in touch with the leaders but could not match favourite Val Et Al and Leigh Woods in the finish, finsihgn third, two lengths off the winner.

Val Et Al is not in the line-up but Leigh Woods is, although St Gray’s runner did run in the Listed Secretariat Stakes at Turffontein on Saturday and one is not sure how he took that race and how well he has recovered.

In any case Scheme Of Things is 1,5 kg better off and has the services of Anthony Delpech on this occasion.

Dominic Zaki has his stable in top form and one cannot ignore the chances of Samurai Blade. He has raced five times for one win and two seconds and one of those runners-up berths was over this course and distance when beaten 1.80 lengths by Candy Rock. He was all the rage to win at Turffontein nine days ago but may have fund 2000m a touch too far and faded late to finish fifth, but only two lengths behind Oriental Blue.

Rocketball is the only two-time winner in the field and comes from the in-form Van Zyl yard. He beat Big Shot over 1600m at Turffontein last time in his first race in Joburg so improvement can be expected.

Frosty Friday has only raced three times and won her maiden last time but the form lines are very strong. She was runner-up to Mike de Kock-trained Noor in her second start and the winner has been contesting Grade 1 races in the Cape. In her next start Frosty Friday beat Ntoma by 0.60 lengths and the runner-up has franked the form in no uncertain terms. Muzi Yeni, who rode four winners at Scottsville on Sunday, takes the ride.