PREVIEW:VAAL (SAND) - TUESDAY 24 JULY 2012

Scratchings up to date as at 09h00 Sunday 22 July 2012.

RACE 1:Maiden Plate 1450m Bend

EXCELL AND ASCEND improved by thirty lengths in his second start last time. Respect. The form horse is ROAD WARRIOR. Has placed second twice from three starts this C & D. Gavin Lerena rides. COTTON EYE JOE (Sean Tarry/Anton Marcus) needs to improve. Respect trainer/jockey combination. MAYBE BABY will need to repeat his penultimate start. TIGER CANYON also showed improvement in his latest effort. Respect.

SELECTIONS: 1st - EXCELL AND ASCEND * (11); 2nd - ROAD WARRIOR (3); 3rd - COTTON EYE JOE (1); 4th - MAYBE BABY (4); 5th - TIGER CANYON (13)

RACE 2:Maiden Plate (F & M) 1200m Bend

DYNAMO DAZZLE has had two runs and her second was decidedly better than her first. That latest effort was at this track. Gavin Lerena has the ride once again. CRACKER DOBA ran her best run last time. Yet to run on sand. TRUE IMPERIUM may improve on the sand while SLIGHTLY BLONDE is improving. Piere Strydom rides. FAIRMAIDOFNORWAY is from the in-form Mike Azzie yard.

SELECTIONS: 1st - DYNAMO DAZZLE * (6); 2nd - CRACKER DOBA (4); 3rd - TRUE IMPERIUM (10); 4th - SLIGHTLY BLONDE (8); 5th - FAIRMAIDOFNORWAY (3)

RACE 3:Maiden Plate 1000m Straight

ROYAL STOCK finished half-a-length in front of FLIGHT OF EAGLES last time. Both were making their debuts last time and they should finish close to one another again. Piere Strydom rides ROYAL STOCK while Gavin Lerena has the ride on FLIGHT OF EAGLES who raced green but finished well. MAGIC OF ROME is improving nicely and should have a shout. BORN TO BUCK improved by almost twenty eight lengths last time. Respect. Ignore the latest effort by LEVANTO. He just never got going after stumbling at the start. Consider on previous runs.

SELECTIONS: 1st - ROYAL STOCK * (15); 2nd - FLIGHT OF EAGLES (10); 3rd - MAGIC OF ROME (3); 4th - BORN TO BUCK (1); 5th - LEVANTO (13)

RACE 4:Conditions Plate (F & M) 1000m Straight

On form, VARIOMETER should be difficult to beat. She did not show in her only start on sand some time ago. Piere Strydom has the ride once again. Could go close. KALAAM on the other hand is well equipped for the sand. Will be running on. MALAGA-BELLE has yet to run on sand but runs very well over the distance with three wins and two seconds from six starts over 1000m. LA VOLTA has good form this C & D. Has more to find. CANDY COTTON may place with Anton Marcus aboard.

SELECTIONS: 1st - VARIOMETER * (1); 2nd - KALAAM (2); 3rd - MALAGA-BELLE (3); 4th - LA VOLTA (7); 5th - CANDY COTTON (4)

RACE 5:Pinnacle Stakes 1000m Straight

RUBY KING has won four times and placed third on three occasions this C & D from only eight attempts to win at this C & D. With strong form like that he should have a good chance. Apprentice claims 4kg. MANNEQUIN is never far back and she also has excellent form this C & D. Apprentice claim as well of 4kg will help. RENEGADE has been improving. Piere Strydom rides. ACROSS THE ICE has Gavin Lerena riding for Sean Tarry. Should be running on. EXTREME WEST could cause an upset.

SELECTIONS: 1st - RUBY KING * (1); 2nd - MANNEQUIN (4); 3rd - RENEGADE (2); 4th - ACROSS THE ICE (3); 5th - EXTREME WEST (10)

RACE 6:MR 88 Hcp 1200m Bend

LIQUID MOTION showed up well last time when making his sand debut. He finished second that day. That was his best run in a while. Gavin Lerena has the ride. NAPOLEON DYNAMITE looks to be well weighted this afternoon. Takes a drop in class. yet to show on sand but Piere Strydom rides. SPEED KEEPER has improved in his last two starts when finding good finishes in both. Serious challenger. MABUKO SPIRIT has 61.5kg on his back but he has faced stronger. ESCAPE CLAUSE has been running on well over 1000m. Has been rising in class.

SELECTIONS: 1st - LIQUID MOTION * (3); 2nd - NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (10); 3rd - SPEED KEEPER (4); 4th - MABUKO SPIRIT (1); 5th - ESCAPE CLAUSE (5)

RACE 7:MR 87 Hcp 1200m Straight

TIGER FLASH has good form against stronger fields. Yet to show on sand. has only raced on sand once though and that was seven runs ago. Anton Marcus rides. DUAL ALLIANCE has won his last three starts but this is slightly tougher. On form has a chance, especially with Piere Strydom aboard for Sean Tarry. Gavin Lerena has the ride on ZEBULON. This seven-year-old also has the form, especially this C & D. Tends to fade though. CARYL'S LAW could be improving again. Rises sharply in class! (From a MR 68 to a MR 87). LOCHLORIEN has poor form but he does drop quite considerably in class.

SELECTIONS: 1st - TIGER FLASH * (2); 2nd - DUAL ALLIANCE (6); 3rd - ZEBULON (5); 4th - CARYL'S LAW (9); 5th - LOCHLORIEN (1)

RACE 8:MR 73 Hcp 1600m Bend

COSTSAVER could be improving. Anton Marcus has the ride. Gavin Lerena has the ride on MASTER ENTERTAINER who has the more consistent form, but on turf. DYNASTY ROSE has the form to win. Only win was this C & D and should be running on. DANZIG'S ODDS drops in class but form is poor. Could place at best. SON OF THE BURG has improved in his last three starts but may still have more to find.

SELECTIONS: 1st - COSTSAVER * (4); 2nd - MASTER ENTERTAINER (2); 3rd - DYNASTY ROSE (7); 4th - DANZIG'S ODDS (1); 5th - SON OF THE BURG (3)

BEST BET:                    RACE 4 - NUMBER 1 VARIOMETER (33/10)

VALUE BET:                RACE 5 - NUMBER 1 RUBY KING (11/2)

BEST OUTSIDER:      RACE 1 - NUMBER 11 EXCELL AND ASCEND (9/1)

PLACE ACCUMULATOR: RACES 2 - 8

PICK SIX: RACES 3 - 8 (Couplings taken into account)

JACKPOT: RACES 4 - 7 (Couplings have NOT been taken into account)