Which racehorse in the province has the most stamina?
This question will be answered at Friday’s meeting at the Fairview Turf track in Greenbushes.
The main race is the R175 000 Gold Cup over 3 200m, a true test of a horse’s stamina.
This race is always a crowd favourite and you need a very fit horse to win the Gold Cup. It will be the sixth of the eight carded races on the day.
It will not only be about the prize money in this race. There will also be a prestigious award at the end of the season to aim for.
The Gold Cup winner will improve his chances of being crowned the best long-distance horse in the Eastern Cape significantly.
All the respective awards will come into play at the end of the current East Cape season, which will end with the meeting on Monday, July 29.
There are still five Fairview meetings left before the season ends, and golden opportunities to still make sure of a trophy or two at the awards evening.
Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith are locked, once again, in a fascinating battle for the trainers’ title.
Greeff will start Friday’s meeting four winners in front, 129 to 125.
Visiting Cape Town jockey, Richard Fourie, is enjoying a wonderful season and is within striking distance of another record.
He needs four winners to get past the record of 116 winners in an East Cape season. Greg Cheyne set this incredible mark five years ago when, like Fourie, he rode mostly for the Greeff stable.
At this past Friday’s meeting the three-year-old filly, Joy And Peace, improved her chances of being recognized at the awards evening.
She won the Walmer Handicap in fine style, and is now the top earner at Fairview this season.
Joy And Peace has won almost R580 000 in her 10 starts, of which she won five, since the season started in August last year.
The filly wasn’t the only star at a very cold, wet, and windy Fairview last Friday.
The Nomads Golf Club and their guests braved the conditions and enjoyed another successful Charity Race Day.
On Saturday at the Greyville track we saw the 128th renewal of the iconic R5 million Hollywoodbets Durban-July, Africa’s biggest race.
Cape Town jockey, JP van der Merwe, who was born and bred in Gqeberha, won the race with Oriental Charm for the Brett Crawford stable.
