Vaal Saturday

Fast Day in the last will pick up a stakes cheque and imo is the danger to Vulcan....

I think this Sebastian Bolt will not get an easier race to win than today

A card for the die-hards (like me) - best of luck, shrek (tu)

Tommy_Hotspur Wrote:

---

> I think this Sebastian Bolt will not get an easier
> race to win than today

Good call Tombo...(tu)

Yip Bolted home (tu)

So how hot is this hottie in the 2nd? Sure seems like Joey and the boys got stuck in?

shrek Wrote:

---

> Really hoping that the best going is on the
> outside as all 3 have drawn the outside rail.
>
> Race 2 Madame Carla looks like an old fashioned
> betting coup being nominated with steels backed in
> to evens then this morning change equipment to
> alumites.

If i'm not mistaken this is NOT the first time Soma has done this... It stinks to be honest, obviously is the way he gets the price and then put the alumites on... or am i being unreasonable??

No, Greg you are being absolutely reasonable. But the NHA does nothing to stop this behaviour, so why wouldn't they do this???

I thought Soma gave up betting anyway.....()

Trainer Joey Soma won his first Grade 1 race since 1994 when landing the R2million President’s Champions Challenge with Happy Landing at Turffontein last Saturday and it was the first Grade 1 win for a jockey Soma has long admired, Muzi Yeni. Soma’s last Grade 1 winner was Special Preview, a son of Model Man who went on to become a stallion. He won the Smirnoff (today known as the SA Nursery), which was a Grade 1 race back then. Happy Landing also provided the late great Al Mufti with his second Grade 1 winner of the season and his 12th overall. Soma, who trains out of Turffontein, said of the four-year-old gelding, “I always knew he had the ability, but his problem was that he took forever to mature. We looked after him as best we could and initially stuck to 1 600m. The Summer Cup was originally his aim but after the Victory Moon we knew he wasn’t ready, so we changed our target to the Challenge. Everything went fantastically in his preparation and I was actually quite shocked at his price (55-1) as we were only beaten 4,5 lengths by Captain’s Wild the previous time and were 1,5 kg better off. I also knew he would have a couple of lengths improvement.” He added, “Pierre Strydom always rated Happy Landing, but when he went to Hong Kong we had to find a new jockey. I have been a great believer in Muzi since his apprentice days and rated him as the next Weichong Marwing. He has such a beautiful seat. “We tried Muzi on him in the Drum Star and they clicked. He gave me excellent feedback. He is just a very good rider with a good head on his shoulders.” After that win, Yeni rode him in one more start before the Challenge. “He got used to him. By (Saturday) he knew what he had to do and knew he had a very fit horse under him.”
Soma made a decision in the build up to work Happy Landing twice a day and reckoned it might well have made the difference.
“We’ve had a tough time with all the rain so for the last two weeks we took him out with first string at 5.30am and again at 3pm. As I saw him I would decide what to do with him, whether it was just a canter or pace work. When you take on the likes of Mike de Kock you have to have a very fit horse.”
He continued, “In a big race you need a bit of luck. I said to Muzi ‘ride at your own pace’. We knew Call To Combat would set the pace and we wanted to slot in. “Everything went perfectly. He was always going well and I was confident, but at the same time you ask yourself ‘is this really happening!’”
He added, “Happy Landing’s greatest asset has been his owner, Markus Jooste. I kept him in the loop and he gave me time which took the pressure off me. I am proud that this one came through for him as from day one I’ve known he had it and this win was no fluke. “There are a lot of good trainers out there and at today’s prices you can understand owners wanting their horses to start achieving, but for a trainer patience is very important.” Soma revealed, “I felt I have always had the ability if I had the support, but I was my own worst enemy as I had some bad vices, especially gambling. It would put me into a bad mood or a good mood and was just unrealistic. You sometimes took your eye off what was good for the horse. I decided to give up gambling on August 1 and have been a different man. Now I’m always smiling!”

Thats a long time ago greggo. He has perhaps decided to have a little nibble?

Ja, and normally they are spot on when they punt a horse...

On looks don't leave out the 16 for the back ends of QT's.