ON a memorable day like this it is difficult to say who or what was the biggest star – equine or human.
Last Friday’s meeting at Fairview race track in Greenbushes was a special one for top Gqeberha trainer Alan Greeff.
He was challenged for top honours on the day by his star two-year-old filly, Luna Halo, who won the Lady’s Slipper Stakes in fine style.
Luna Halo was in top form and the opposition had no chance as she accelerated down the Polytrack straight past the grandstand.
“She always gives everything (in a race) and is a really cool horse to ride,” her regular jockey, Richard Fourie, said after the race.
Luna Halo had a brilliant season and will no doubt be crowned the East Cape champion two-year-old filly at the awards evening on September 9.
It is not often that a horse wins three big races in a row in the province, but that was exactly what Luna Halo did.
In March she won the East Cape Fillies Nursery and last month she even showed the boys a thing or two when she won the Dahlia Plate.
Luna Halo was one of five winners for the Greeff stable on the day. Most trainers will tell you that to win any race at Fairview is not easy and to win five at a meeting of eight races is indeed a brilliant performance.
To make the day even more special for Greeff, this was also the meeting he reached a personal milestone.
He became only the second trainer to saddle 100 winners this season at Fairview, and is getting closer to the log leader and current champion Gavin Smith.
The season ends in less than two months and the race for the trainers’ title gets very interesting now, with Smith on 107 winners and Greeff within striking distance with 103 winners.
Sharon Kotzen is the only other trainer who can saddle more than 50 winners for the season.
She had two winners on Friday, to move up to 47, and will very soon go past the 50 mark.
With not much time left in the season, all the role-players who still have a chance to qualify for a prestigious award or reach a milestone will now be putting in even more hard work to try to reach that goal.
Although the much-needed recent rains were welcomed by all, it made things very challenging for the conditioners to keep their horses in peak form as the training facilities were waterlogged.
Hopefully the Turf track will be in top condition to host this coming Friday’s meeting of eight races.
Last Friday’s meeting was supposed to be on the Turf, but the underfoot conditions were ruled unsafe after the rain did some damage to the surface.
Fairview in June
9: Turf
16: Poly
23: Turf
26: Poly
30: Turf – Breeders Stakes
