Hewitson switch can benefit punters at Vaal

Champion jockey Lyle Hewitson is giving punters a big clue to the outcome of the fifth race at the Vaal on Tuesday. He is not riding the Sean Tarry runner in the field but has opted for Nice Move trained by Stuart Pettigrew. 

Last Saturday it was business as usual for the Tarry-Hewitson combination with three winners at Turffontein and they team up with two more runners at the Free State track.

It is a rare occurrence for Hewitson to ride for another stable when Tarry has a runner in the race, but that is the situation in the fifth race.

Hewitson has been engaged for the favourite Nice Move who made a promising debut at Turffontein last month when finishing third behind Prince Falcon. Bookies have priced up the daughter of Visionaire as the 12-10 favourite.

If the market is correct, Hewitson may have most to fear from Muzi Yeni who rides Fort Snow for Paul Matchett. However, the filly has failed to leave the maidens in 15 starts and a bigger danger would be Raymond Danielson’s mount Bold Decision.

A daughter of Dynasty bred at Ridgemont Highlands, Bold Decision had looked pretty average until finishing third behind Tinder Dry last time out. He could prove a lucrative swinger bet with Nice Move.

Tarry and Hewitson team up with the newcomer Hydrangea in the fourth race, the daughter was bought by Chris van Niekerk as a yearling for R150,000. Interestingly, her half-sister (by Master Of My Fate) was bought for R100,000 by trainer Eric Sands at the recent two-year-old sale in Germiston.

Paul Peter also saddled three winners last Saturday and his What A Winter filly, Icy Night, is likely to start favourite unless there is an avalanche of support for Hydrangea. The three-year-old has been placed twice in the hands of Gavin Lerena who retains the ride.

Tarry has no runner in the second race so trainer Ashley Fortune has booked Hewitson for her frustrating filly Abulus who has five consecutive seconds to her name. Though she is certainly earning her keep for her owners, a visit to the number one box remains elusive.

If Abalus has to settle for second place once again, it is likely to be at the hands of Quick Run with apprentice Xola Jacobs claiming his 4kg on the daughter of Noordhoek Flyer.

Peter and Lerena also team up with the favourite Frontline Fighter in the first race, but the form book reveals there is nothing to choose between the gelding and Grant Maroun’s runner Maraca Ginger.

Jockey Denis Schwarz will be keen to ride a winner as he picked up a week’s suspension after causing interference in a race at Turffontein on August 15.

Perhaps Schwarz’s best ride is Lucky Houdalakis’ three-year-old Leeson in the eighth race as the gelding will have benefited from his debut run behind Whafeef. Others with chances include Peter’s runner JP Two Thousand, Flinders Range (second behind Shangani last Saturday) and Candice Dawson’s R300,000 first-timer Aspiringtoreign.

SELECTIONS

1st Race: (4) Maraca Ginger (3) Frontline Fighter (1) Lulu's Boy (2) Kaptein Masters

2nd Race: (5) Abulus (1) Quick Run (2) Smelting (6) Stolen Kiss

3rd Race: (1) Coming In Hot (2) Samuel Salt (8) Raffanetti (6) Magnum PI

4th Race: (5) Hydrangea (9) Icy Night (6) Amazon Orchid (1) Twice A Miracle

5th Race: (7) Nice Move (2) Bold Decision (1) Fort Snow (3) Stunning Kitten

6th Race: (6) Secret Link (1) Joe Harman (3) Bit Of Fun (4) Passing Shot

7th Race: (8) Ontheverge (3) Linganomore (6) Dame Of Flames (5) Miss Otis

8th Race: (6) Leeson (5) JP Two Thousand (3) Aspiringtoreign (1) Flinders Range