Race 4: CLASSIC DAY 7 MARCH MR 84 HANDICAP (Open)

VAAL RACECOURSE | Saturday, 17 January 2026 | 13:10

Distance: 1700m
Going: Good
Stakes: R125,000
Weight For Age(SSL) 3yrs:6.0 4yrs:0.5 Weight For Age(SNL) 3yrs:8.5 4yrs:1.5

Race Results

Pos Horse A.C.S. Weight Draw Jockey Len MR CMR Odds
- Eiffel Tower 4 b. g 54.5kg 5 Mr Serino Moodley - - 69 25/2
1st Robert Browning 3 b. g 58.0kg 9 Mr P Mxoli - 80 87 16/1
2nd Zip Code 3 b. g 57.5kg 3 Mr G J Lerena 2.5 79 77 9/2
3rd Buddy Boy 3 b. c 56.5kg 2 Mr C Murray 2.75 87 85 33/10
4 Tommy Shelby 2 b. c 61.5kg 6 Mr J Gates 2.95 97 101 8/1
5 Guerilla Warfare 3 b. g 56.0kg 7 Mr R Munger 3.05 76 75 25/2
6 Force Publique 2 b. g 54.5kg 8 Mr K de Melo 3.25 83 84 6/1
7 On Target TF 3 b. g 60.0kg (64.0) 1 Ms S T Valjalo 3.85 92 95 9/2
8 Open Highway 4 ch. g 59.5kg (62.0) 5 Mr Jace Botes 6.1 88 94 7/1
9 We Are The Logans 2 ch. c 59.0kg 4 Mr L Nhlapo 6.4 82 73 125/1

Race Timing

Winning Time
102.47s
Average Time
101.53s
Difference
+%.2fs
Total Pool
R1,273,938

Rating Analysis

Horse Pos MR Before MR After Official Δ Expected Δ Discrepancy
Robert Browning 1 80 87 +7 + 7
Zip Code 2 79 77 -2 -1 -1
Buddy Boy 3 87 85 -2 -1 -1
Tommy Shelby 4 97 101 +4 -1 + 5
Guerilla Warfare 5 76 75 -1 -2 + 1
Force Publique 6 83 84 +1 -2 + 3
On Target 7 92 95 +3 -2 + 5
Open Highway 8 88 94 +6 -3 + 9
We Are The Logans 9 82 73 -9 -3 -6
Eiffel Tower None - 69 - -193 -
Note: Expected changes are calculated using simplified algorithms. Official NHRA algorithms from the PDF will provide accurate benchmarking.

Stipes Report

THE STARTER REPORTED:
a)	BUDDY BOY (C Murray) and TOMMY SHELBY (J Gates) jumped inwards leaving the stalls.	
b)	OPEN HIGHWAY (*J Botes) and WE ARE THE LOGANS (L Nhlapo) were slow into stride.	

THE STIPENDIARY STEWARDS REPORTED:
a)	All horses selected for TCO2 were within the required levels, and no retests were recorded.
b)	Shortly after the start, OPEN HIGHWAY (*J Botes) was bumped by TOMMY SHELBY (J Gates), which jumped inwards leaving the stalls.
c)	In view of the performance of OPEN HIGHWAY (*J Botes), (distance 6,10 lengths, betting 7/1), the Veterinary Surgeon was requested to examine.			
d)	ROBERT BROWNING (P Mxoli), the winner, was selected for the taking of specimens for analysis.
Trainer T Zackey advised (MduP).
	
JOCKEY CHANGES:
None.

RACE CARD CHANGES / OTHER:
a)	ZIP CODE raced equipped with a compression mask and without blinkers (declared 16 January 2026 at 06H56).	

THE VETERINARY SURGEON REPORTED:
a)	OPEN HIGHWAY not striding out right front. 

SCRATCHED:
a)	EIFFEL TOWER change in merit rating. Advised 16 January 2026 at 12H14.

DISQUALIFIED / DECLARED NON-RUNNER:

None.