Racing tip: Piere Strydom’s Vaal quartet to shine

Jockey Piere Strydom will be back aboard See It Again on 6 July hoping to go one better in this year’s Hollywoodbets Durban July.

This time he had no doubts about the weight his mount would be carrying, 60kg, and that was confirmed yesterday by the handicappers when the weights for this year’s R5-million Grade 1 race over 2200m at Hollywoodbets Greyville were revealed.

Naturally, with senescence creeping up on him Strydom has been selective with his rides and he will only be up on four mounts at the Vaal tomorrow when they race on the Classic track.

However, all four have winning chances and bettors would be well advised to include all of them in their bets.

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His first ride comes up in Race 3 where he is aboard Super Awesome for trainer Roy Magner in this MR 84 Handicap over 1200m.

This three-year-old son of Capetown Noir is a two-time winner who ran well in a much stronger race last time when he produced the fastest last 400m to finish a 1.25 length second to Dreamland over 1000m on the Turffontein Standside track.

With the drop in class comes an increase in weight and Super Awesome will be carrying top weight of 61kg.

However, this race is around the turn and Super Awesome has the benefit of jumping from No 1 draw. Strydom also has two rides for Sean Tarry, whose stable is in top form currently. His first is in Race 5, a MR 77 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1000m.

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However, this might be the least fancied of the four as Midnight Fusion does look held by Waitforgreenlight, who finished in front of Strydom’s mount last time and courtesy of a 4kg apprentice claim, is now 3kg better off.

However, best of his rides could be Elembee in Race 7, a MR 80 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1600m.

This is the second of his rides for Tarry and she has been running well in stronger fields. She won over 1600m two runs back on the Turffontein Inside track and last time finished a close up third over 1750m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.

The one concern is that she has been down to KwaZulu-Natal and back again and one is not sure how the travelling might affect her performance.

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In Race 8 Strydom has Open Highway for Fanie Bronkhorst and the three-year-old Var gelding could be the one to beat.

However, Tarry saddles two-year-old Peace Treaty and this lightly raced Act Of War gelding could be anything and with just 53.5kg to carry, could well be the runner to beat.