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Fresh Vaal turf is right up big-striding Mufasa’s street
With the Vaal's long straight, this course favours long-striding, big-galloping types – which is good news for trainer Paul Peter and emerging star sprinter Mufasa
Three-year-old Sumomomomomomomomo made a dramatic late surge to claim victory at Tokyo’s Oi racecourse on Monday, winning in the 12th race of her career. Picture: iStock
After several weeks of spring treatment to its turf, the main Vaal track once again hosts racing.
With its long straight, this course favours long-striding, big-galloping types – which is good news for trainer Paul Peter and emerging star sprinter Mufasa.
Mufasa would have been the outstanding bet on Tuesday’s card anyway following his impressive career start with two facile wins down the Turffontein Standside 1160m. A burst up a freshly minted 1200m Vaal straight course is a logical next step for the colt by What A Winter and makes him a banker in all bets.
Mufasa dominated his two races from the front, eventually surging clear of hapless rivals to register 4.25-length and 3.25-length winning margins.
Those were both juvenile fields and the opposition in this MR84 Handicap – Race 6 on the card – is considerably stronger. Also, Mufasa must carry top weight of 61.5kg, but the big fellow will have matured and strengthened in the 115-day interregnum since his last visit to the races and should perform the hat-trick under top jockey Warren Kennedy.
Four-year-olds Grappler and Money Fighter are two-time winners, triers with good recent form, and could be in the mix for second place. The latter is a blinkers strike, which could help sort out excitable behaviour of late.
SELECTIONS
Race 1:
9 Shimmerlindt, 8 Love Bite, 1 Quick Run, 4 Beltway
Race 2:
13 Abbacadabra, 2 French Rebel, 1 Eyes On Tiger, 3 True Brit
Race 3:
4 Rainy Season, 1 Jacob’s Ladder, 6 Royal Mazarin, 5 Wedding Bliss
Race 4:
1 Willow Express, 4 Stormy Winter, 6 Bold Jazz, 7 Snow Palace
Race 5:
3 Little Prince, 7 Ablaan, 1 Starrywinternight, 2 Cavalier King
Race 6:
1 Mufasa, 2 Grappler, 6 Money Fighter, 4 Bronco Blitz
Race 7:
8 Vaseem, 9 Riverstown, 2 Mr Flood, 6 Ikigai
Race 8:
3 I Dream Of Genie, 7 Fromheretoeternity, 11 Midnight Gem, 5 Bat Out Of Hell
Pick 6:
1,3,4,5,6,8 x 1,4,6 x 1,2,3,7 x 1 x 2,8,9 x 3,5,6,7,8,11,12 (R1512)
PA:
2,13 x 1,4,6 x 1 x 3,7 x 1 x 8.9 x 3,7 (R48)
