Queen Laurie to rule

Green Pepper is turning out to be the Carry On Alice of her generation and once again proved her talent with an easy victory in the Grade 3 Magnolia Handicap over 1160m at Turffontein on Saturday.

As a result one has to respect any form line in which she has been a runner and if that theory turns out to be correct, then Queen Laurie could be hard to oppose in Race 7 at the Vaal on Tuesday, where racing takes place on the Inside track.

Grant Maroun’s runner lines up in a MR 85 Handicap over 1000m where she will take on the colts. Great Britain is turning out to be a decent sire of sprinters and this three-year-old filly has raced seven times for two wins, one second and a third place. It was the second place in her last start that is particularly significant.

She took on Green Pepper in the Listed Gardenia Stakes over 1000m and finished runner-up, beaten 2.25 lengths. In third, just 0.50 lengths back, came Crystal Glamour, who franked that form by finishing a 2.50-length second in the Magnolia Stakes, although she was 3kg better off with the winner.

Green Pepper put up wonderful display when beating Rivarine by a head in the Sophomore 1000 (Non-Black Type) over 1000m at the Vaal.

Although she was in receipt of 6.5kg, Green Pepper demonstrated she could beat the boys and that augurs well for Queen Laurie.

She has had one race against the colts in the Grade 2 Umkhomazi Stakes over 1200m at Greyville but after leading for most of the journey Queen Laurie faded badly to finish ninth, beaten 18.25 lengths.

She started to hang badly towards the end of the race which could have contributed to her poor run. However, she came back well to win her next start over 1200m at the Vaal and followed up with that second behind Green Pepper. Marco van Rensburg takes the ride.

Isphan has not won a race since 2014 but he has been very consistent of late. He led most of the journey in his last start and was only caught close home by Greasepaint and Seattle Singer to finish third, but just 0.30 lengths behind the winner.

He takes a small drop in class this time and Mike Azzie’s charge will have the services of Weichong Marwing. He is at his best over this distance and one can expect an honest run from this son of Tiger Ridge.

There is little to choose between Kapitan and Magic based on their last runs. Kapitan finished 0.40 lengths behind Leon Erasmus’ runner and is now 1kg better off.

If the draws are better down the inside, which is usually the case at this course, that could favour Magic again as he is drawn No 7 while Sean Tarry’s charge will jump from barrier No 14.