12:35 Vaal

Thursday 26 September 2024

All11:2512:0012:3513:1013:4514:2014:5515:30

Betway Middle Stakes

Off time: 12:36 | Winning time: 2m 2.86s

Settings

(3)

Savannah Storm⁸¹

Age: 8| Weight: 9-11| J: P Strydom| T: Phillip / Vermeulen| C

20/1

Course winner. Last of 7 in minor event at Turffontein (8f, good, 14/1) 81 days ago. Up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 8/06647-

(1)

Sugar Blast²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 9-11| J: C Maujean| T: Tony Peter| CD

22/1

C&D winner. Latest win here in May. Well-beaten last of 8 to Thunee Playa in minor event at this C&D (good, 7/1) 28 days ago.

Form: 2/75218-

(6)

Flying Bull²⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 9-11| J: Trent Mayhew⁽⁶⁾| T: Tony Peter| C| D

50/1

Course winner. 23¾ lengths seventh of 8 to Thunee Playa in minor event at this C&D (good, 33/1) 28 days ago. Plenty to find on form.

Form: 3313/57-

(10)

Arumugam^b²⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 9-11| J: Calvin Habib| T: Tony Peter| D

28/1

Eleven runs since last win in 2022. Sixth of 7 in minor event at Turffontein (8f, good, 25/1) 26 days ago. Back up in trip. Easy to look elsewhere.

Form: 454/906-

(4)

Tamarisk Tree³³

Age: 5| Weight: 9-2| J: G Lerena| T: Robbie Sage

9/2

Latest win at Turffontein in May. 10/1, creditable second of 10 in handicap at Turffontein (9f, good) 33 days ago. Heading back in the right direction recently.

Form: 501862-

(9)

Battleground⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 8-11| J: Marco V'Rensburg| T: Michael Nicholas Houdalakis

12/1

14/10, didn't need to improve to win 7-runner minor event at Fairview (15.9f, good) 76 days ago. Significantly back down in trip.

Form: 467331-

(11)

Thunee Playa^b²⁸

Age: 4| Weight: 8-11| J: Kaidan Brewer| T: Lorenzo Karriem| CD

9/2

3 wins from 7 runs this year. 28/10, didn't need to improve to win 8-runner minor event at this C&D (good) 28 days ago.

Form: 750131-

(8)

Claw²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-7| J: Kabelo Matsunyane| T: Mike/Adam Azzie| BF| D

11/4

Winner at Turffontein in March. 5/2, good second of 8 in handicap at this C&D (good) 21 days ago. Can give a good account without posing serious threat to principals.

Form: 173652-

(7)

Total Surrender²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 8-7| J: Craig Zackey| T: Michael Nicholas Houdalakis| CD

3/1

4-time course winner. Latest win here in April. 6/1, good second of 7 in handicap at this course (8f, good) 21 days ago. Back up in trip. Looks competitive on form.

Form: 851242-

(12)

Afraad^b⁴²

Age: 8| Weight: 8-7| J: Denis Schwarz| T: Phillip Labuschagne| OR: 73| CD

40/1

7-time course winner. Last of 8 in minor event (20/1) at Turffontein (12.9f, good) 42 days ago. Back down in trip. Others more persuasive.

Form: 749678-

(2)

Royal Edition²¹

Age: 4| Weight: 8-3| J: Jason Gates| T: Phillip Labuschagne| C

13/2

Course winner. Eleven runs since last win in 2023. Third of 5 in handicap (2/1) at this course (8f, good) 21 days ago. Back up in trip. Expected to be bang there.

Form: 772433-

(5)

Banha Bridge^b⁴⁹

Age: 8| Weight: 8-3| J: M Yeni| T: Candice Dawson| OR: 82| C| D

16/1

4-time course winner. Eighth of 9 in handicap (25/1) at this course (8.4f, good) 49 days ago. Merits consideration.

Form: 122698-

Forecasts

Claw (11/4), Total Surrender (3/1), Tamarisk Tree (9/2), Thunee Playa (9/2), Royal Edition (13/2), Battleground (12/1), Banha Bridge (16/1), Savannah Storm (20/1), Sugar Blast (22/1), Arumugam (28/1), Afraad (40/1), Flying Bull (50/1)

ROYAL EDITION is just about the safest pick but will need to be firing on all cylinders. Total Surrender could provide the toughest threat, while Battleground isn't dismissed lightly.