Conditions may favour Spring Blaster at Vaal
Spring Blaster made a very good transition to the sand in her last start when running Princess Alberta to a neck second over 1000m at the Vaal.
The Stanley Ferreira-trained filly can go one better in Race 6 today when she contests a MR 92 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1200m.
The four-year-old daughter of Jet Master has a lot going for her. Her last three starts have produced one win and two close-up seconds so she is in excellent condition at the moment. She has been lightly raced and probably owing to a poor patch in her three-year-old career, has a merit rating of just 77.
As her overall record reads two wins and three places from eight starts it could well be she is still racing below the radar of the handicappers. With just 52.5kg to shoulder she could prove tough beat as long as jockey Juan Paul van der Merwe takes advantage of the light weight and No 3 draw.
Her form over 1200m is excellent with a win and two second places.
Based on their run behind Tzigane over 1200m on the turf Spring Blaster should hold Secret Magok quite comfortably. Secret Magok finished 2.50 lengths behind Ferreira’s charge and is now 1kg worse off.
However, back on the sand in her next outing the Stuart Pettigrew-trained filly put up an excellent run behind Be Mine Tonight who has won her two races in fillies’ company on the sand with ease. Last time out Secret Magok finished 3.50-lengths behind Be Mine Tonight, giving her 8kg. That was an excellent run and considering she was up with the pace going through the 400m mark, Secret Magok should be better suited to this distance.
In December last year she beat Jackodore in a Conditions Plate over this course and distance.
Marco van Rensburg takes the ride and they jump from barrier No 8.
The class horse of the race is undoubtedly Tayba. The Mike de Kock-trained filly has won three of her four races at this course, including two wins from two starts over this distance. She has been allotted top weight of 64kg but the use of apprentice Ryan Munger allows them to get 4kg off her back.
She took on the colts last time and many expected her to win but she proved disappointing, finishing a 4.50-length fifth behind Vulcan. That was her second run after a layoff so maybe she went a little flat. But she still might be giving away too much weight.
