A Gr1 winner on turf, Earl Of Surrey tries the sand for the first time.
Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m at Vaal (sand) on Wednesday
With the Emerald Cup festival now just over a month away, plate races are the order of the day at the Vaal’s sand track on Wednesday. The Three most recent winners of the Emerald Cup are amongst the ten contesting the Pinnacle Stakes over 1450m and with some interesting new recruits to the sand also in the field, the race should be viewed with interest, writes Steve Furnish.
Comfortably the best in at the weights on turf form is the Geoff Woodruff trained Earl Of Surrey. A winner of the Zimbabwe Guineas and Zim Derby before crossing the Limpopo in 2007, this son of Century Stand went on to win both the Gr2 Drill Hall Stakes and Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint in 2009. In our book, he had been running up to his best ratings before being laid off in May, and as his impressive win in the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes in February, and his earlier success in the Drill Hall will attest, he is very effective around today’s distance. A crack at the prestigious Emerald Cup looks on the cards for Earl Of Surrey if all goes well here. He’s drawn well and if ready has to rate the one to beat.
Wittenberg
Formerly with Gavin Van Zyl, Wittenberg has always been very highly regarded and he has shown good improvement with each outing since returning from a layoff in January. He too tries the sand for the first time and although he might really prefer a tad further, he has won twice over 1400m. Wittenberg has also been allotted a very nice barrier position here and usually one to race up with the speed, he could prove to be a surprise package if taking to the surface.
Iron Curtain
Robbie Sage’s charge showed tremendous improvement at this stage of the season last year and in what proved to be a real thriller he went on to beat Alimony in the Gr2 Emerald Cup. He’s not been seen out on the sand since then though, and he has been well beaten in each of his three starts on turf. He returns from a five month break here and although he is the best in at the weights of those already proven on the surface, one has to have concerns.
Stable companion Draw Bridge was well thought of early on in his career, but since shedding his maiden tag at just the second attempt, he’s failed to find the winner’s enclosure in eleven starts. He did perform with credit when trying the sand for the first time last time out, but he does now jump considerably in class, and is badly out at the weights.
Master Blaster
Also nicely treated at the weights with most is the Dominic Zaki trained Master Blaster, and he is at the top of his game right now. He’s yet to miss the frame in seven starts on sand and his two recent wins were both achieved over today’s course and distance. This son of Al Mufti beat the subsequent winner Art Wish when winning with authority last time out and even though he’s not particularly well drawn, completion of the hat trick must be a possibility here.
Incomodo
Sean Tarry’s charge took on a new lease of life when switched to the sand and after very quickly picking up four races, three of which were over today’s course and distance, he ran a very creditable fifth in the Emerald Cup. He will no doubt have needed the outing when well beaten in a similar event on his return from a nine month break last time out, and if now ready must hold some kind of a chance.
Alimony
Although the 9yo Alimony is without a win in 25 starts since landing the Emerald Cup way back in 2008, he does still nonetheless retain a very high level of ability, as he showed when running on stoutly in last season’s running of the sand’s most prestigious event. The widest draw will not be a problem for Alimony as he usually races at the back. He’s weighted to be thereabouts and if having one of his better days, he could pop up.
Phunyuka
Roy Magner’s 2009 winner of the Emerald Cup Phunyuka was once rated 8 points higher in the handicap than he is today and were he to find his best form he would certainly have a shout. His most recent efforts on sand have been disappointing in comparison and although he has shown some signs of life in his latest outings on turf, others are preferred.
Bouquet-Garni
A former winner of the Gauteng Derby, Gavin Van Zyl’s charge would really prefer much further. He’s only raced over a trip shorter than 1600m in four of his 28 starts and is yet to fill a place in the Trifecta. He returns from a two month break here and trying the sand for the first time is perhaps best just watched.
Kruger Gold
Having only managed one win from 26 outings and worst in at weights here, Kruger Gold is clearly out of his depth.
About The Pace
They usually go a fair clip over 1450m on the sand and there is enough speed in the race to ensure at least a decent gallop. Master Blaster and Alimony seem the most likely of the usual suspects to be involved on the day, but Earl Of Surrey and Wittenberg must also have serious claims if reproducing their turf form. Earl Of Surrey is the class horse in the field and he is distance suited. He gets the vote.
