Build a Durban July betting pot at the Vaal

The pressing task for many a punter right now is building a bit of a betting pot for playing the Vodacom Durban July meeting on Saturday. Thursday’s Vaal Classic meeting presents a good opportunity, with a sprinkling of good bets through the eight-race card.

To make sure of quick returns, the simpler bets on offer – Win, Place, Swinger, Double and All To Come – are the way to go. The Quartet and Pick 6 might bring much larger pay outs, but they are elusive and ready cash is what we’re looking for.

Race 1 on the Vaal programme might not be the best place to start, though, as three newcomers from the loins of star stallion Vercingetorix step out for leading stables and little is known about their ability.

However, Race 2 does offer up a solid starting point, with David Nieuwenhuizen-trained filly Wings Of Nike looking a good thing. She showed plenty of speed in her only run to date, a 1000m pipe-opener at the Vaal just over a week ago, and she should be more relaxed about her surroundings and focused on the job in hand on this return trip to the riverside.

Wings Of Nike can be played for a Win or Eachway and be the first leg of a Double with likely favourite Manterio in the following race. You could also use her as an anchor for All To Comes into later races on this day and into the Durban July meeting itself – a special week-long special offering from the TAB.

Trifectas and Swingers combining Wings Of Nike with Johan Janse van Vuuren’s pair of runners, French Joy and Highest Honour, and Mike de Kock’s improver Waya Fire might also be considered.

A similar strategy could be followed through the card, with personal choices serving as the foundation for a spectrum of wagers in each race.

Popular picks are likely to include Manterio in Race 3, Immeasurable and Twice The Act in Race 4, Lyrical Dance and Lady Amherst in the fifth, and Power Ranger in the eighth and last.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

8 Big Eyed Girl, 7 Wave Warrior, 1 Blizzard Ahead, 6 Vercin Dance

Race 2:

10 Wings Of Nike, 9 Waya Fire, 1 French Joy, 2 Highest Honour

Race 3:

1 Manterio, 6 Brenner Pass, 2 Prideoffranschhoek, 5 Bit Of Fun

Race 4:

7 Twice The Act, 4 Immeasurable, 8 Ration My Passion, 3 Gold Griffin

Race 5:

1 Lyrical Dance, 3 Lady Amherst, 2 Jive Express, 8 Let There Be Light

Race 6:

6 All Aglow, 10 Kapama, 2 Last Cheer, 4 Lotus

Race 7:

7 Dance Lesson, 4 Global Ransom, 3 Raisetheredlantern, 10 Informative

Race 8:

1 Power Ranger, 5 El Romiachi, 3 Trattoria, 12 Hey Bennie

Pick 6:

1,2,6 x 3,4,7,8 x 1,2,3 x 2,4,6,10 x 3,4,7,10 x 1 (R576)

PA:

10 x 1 x 4,7 x 1,3 x 2,6,10 x 3,4,7 x 1 (R36)