Early birds to score at Vaal

Punters will have to contend with a competitive 10-race card on the Vaal Classic track on Thursday, with a number of low-level handicaps on the day.

However, there look to be some decent opportunities early on the card for racing fans to build up a kitty. This Pick 6 appears to be quite tricky but the rewards will be great for anybody who can catch it.

In Race 2, Tony Peter-trained Mighty Eagle and Alec Laird’s runner Tenjiku square off over 1500m after recent victories over slightly shorter distances.

The former, a Danon Platina colt ridden by Gavin Lerena, won by four lengths in open company last time over 1450m and could have more to offer over the extended trip against two-year-old opposition.

Tenjiku, on the other hand, beat Whispering Death last time and that has turned out to be a very strong form line. Since then Mike and Mathew de Kock-trained Whispering Death has gone on to win twice and once again that form has been franked. He was sent off a 4-10 favourite after that second on debut and beat Chronicle King, a winner of his next start by 2.25 lengths.

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Whispering Death, a half-brother to Grade 1 SA Derby winner Aragosta and six-time winner Mrs Browning, went on to win his next start as well, going off at 4-10 in that field over 1600m and beating Ideal Summer by 2.40 lengths. Even that form was franked as the Alec Laird-trained runner-up went on to win his next start by 3.25 lengths.

For the record, Whispering Death is among the entries for the Grade 1 Gold Medallion over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 31 May.

Laird has a good line of form through Ideal Summer and that should make Tenjiku very hard to beat.

In Race 3, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1800m, Mike and Adam Azzie send out three-year-old World Tour. This daughter of One World has run four times, and there was a lot to like about her last run when third behind City Lights.

It was her first attempt at 1800m and she did suffer some interference at the start, so it was a promising effort. World Tour is a half-sister to Sheela, a six-time winner from four 12 starts, also trained by the Azzies. Diego de Gouveia took the ride last time and he will be back on board this time.

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The Azzies could also be in on the mark in Race 10, a MR 66 Handicap over 1000m, where they send out promising two-year-old and last-start scorer One Tiger. The One World colt opened his account at just his second time of asking and should improve appreciably with race experience, especially with blinkers fitted for the first time.

He makes his handicap debut and looks good value to get the better of his older hard-knocking rivals. The father-and-son training team have engaged Craig Zackey to take the ride.

Value Bet of the day could lie with James Crawford-trained Sorceress Supreme in Race 8, a MR 96 Handicap over 1000m. The last seven of her eight races have been in a feature race company and this three-year-old daughter of Erupt takes a drop in class for the first time in quite a while.

While her recent form has not been all that encouraging, her last start, which was in the Grade 3 Poinsettia Stakes over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville, saw her finish just 3.20 lengths behind Mai Sensation. That form looks strong enough to make her a contender in this field.