Main Defender to star at Vaal

After all the rain on the Highveld, the weather has improved and a good day is being forecast for Thursday’s Vaal meeting where racing takes place on the Classic track.

There are 10 races for bettors to deal with and the highlight of the day is the appearance of top four-year-old Main Defender in Race 5, Pinnacle Stakes over 1500m.

He is regarded by many as one of the top milers in the country so in some ways it is a pity we did not see him take on champion three-year-old One Stripe in the Grade 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate over 1600m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 4 January.

Nevertheless, trainer Tony Peter will have a plan laid out for the Pathfork gelding and this upcoming run is clearly a preparation for him. One would assume that the defence of his Grade 1 HF Oppenheimer Horse Chestnut Stakes is likely to be high up on his list of races.

His last run was in a similar race over 1600m at Turffontein and he proved his talent over the distance with a comfortable three-length win over Texas Red. He carries 62kg, the same weight he had on his back last time, and he does come in as the best-weighted runner by at least 2kg.

Gavin Lerena rode him to victory last time and it comes as no surprise to note that he will retain the ride for this.

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His rivals aren’t really in his league, but some are not far off, and a wide draw may perhaps make things tricky. The good news for him is that Barbaresco was been withdrawn which comes as no surprise considering he won over 1160m at Turffontein last Saturday.

The Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained runner produced a strong finish to beat Quantum Theory by 0.70 lengths and his connections feel Thursday’s race has come too soon.

Melech famously beat Main Defender around the same time last year and the latter could be a threat again as he too is proven over the longer distance. He beat the Pathfork-gelding by 1.25 lengths, is now 4kg better off and jumps from a slightly better gate.

But it must be remembered that Main Defender had very valid excuses then, as he was dropping to 1200m, which suited Melech, was also likely in need of the run as he was prepping for the Horse Chestnut Stakes and then stumbled just short of the line. However, over this trip he is likely to find Main Defender a different proposition but the Exacta looks to be a good betting proposition.

The good news ahead of the meeting is that Piere Strydom is carded to be back in action at the meeting and he has picked up a couple of promising rides He is aboard Mountain High for trainer Sean Tarry in Race 2, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1450m where they will be hoping to end a frustrating run of places and finally find their way into the winners’ enclosure.

This three-year-old daughter of Rafeef has raced seven time for four seconds and two third places and has run well enough over the course and distance. Last time out she went off a strong odds-on favourite but following a slow start after receiving a bump, and casting a shoe in running, Mountain High did well to end up in second spot, beaten just 0.40 lengths.

That was over this course and distance and hopefully she will also have some luck on her side and finally dump her maiden tag.

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