Sutherland looks best at the Vaal

To race, or not to race. That is the question? It has been a particularly stormy start to the new year and with more rain falling over the Highveld on Tuesday, Thursday’s meeting does appear to be in the balance.

Fortunately, they are racing at the Vaal on the Classic track and they might have had less rain than we have seen in Joburg. Nevertheless, one thing we do know is that the going will be soft and that will obviously play its part in the outcome.

There is no question that it is a tricky card and a damp track will exacerbate matters, but one runner could be suited to conditions and could provide a possible banker for bettors and that is Sutherland, who lines up in Race 5, a Novice Handicap over 1450m.

This lightly raced four-year-old gelding has only raced six times, finishing unplaced on debut before reeling off three solid places. He won his next race and followed that up with a one-length second behind Confederate over 1400m at the Vaal in a MR 84 Handicap after a more than two-month layoff.

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The concern is that not only has he raced infrequently, but also intermittently, having had breaks between his last four runs. That might mean this gelding has his issues but he’s a very well-bred individual and is a halfbrother to Thunderstruck, a winner of two Grade 1 sprints.

However, he is a son of Silvano and as we are aware, they tend to improve as they get older.

Trained by Stuart Pettigrew, one of the most underrated trainers in the country, Sutherland went off at 33-1 last time when finishing second. He clearly has ability and should be a touch too good for his opposition in this race.

What is also encouraging is that this run comes just 42 days after his last course appearance, clearly breaking the pattern of longer stints between his runs. Philasande Mxoli has ridden him in his last three races and he will be back in the irons for this race.

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It would come as something of a surprise if Weiho Mrawing fails to win the opening race, a Maiden Plate over 2400m. He saddles two runners in Santiago’s Pride and The Mightiest and one of them looks almost certain to take the top position – the question, however, is which one?

Both have decent form with Santiago’s Pride, the son of Futura, having finished second in a 2300m KZN Maiden Plate at Hollywoodbets Greyville last month. However, three-year-old filly The Mightiest comes into the event as the best-weighted runner and will carry just 53.5kg.

She was due to run in Race 3 last Saturday, but the race meeting was eventually abandoned and now she has landed up in this event. The daughter of Captain Of All has yet to race over this sort of distance but she does drop in class this time and off a light weight, could prove too good for her male opposition.