Time is running out fast to secure that title, award or reach a personal milestone in the current horse racing season.
There are only two meetings left in the East Cape season – a low-key affair on the poly surface this coming Friday and then the turf meeting on the 25th.
It has been quite a memorable season at the Fairview track in Greenbushes. One title that was very much up for grabs before this past Friday’s meeting was that of the Champion Work Rider for the season in the province. The judging panel were already scratching their heads to see how they were going to decide on a winner, especially if there was a sixth rider coming into the picture.
Luckily, Musa Ntunja had other ideas and stepped up to the plate with a polished ride to secure the championship.
In May, he won with House of Sussex for the Gavin Smith stable, and this time he did the business on the back of the three-year-old filly Ruby Claire.
The decision to fit the blinkers was spot on, and it was up to Ntunja to do the rest.
The Work Riders races are an initiative to reward the work riders and grooms at the various stables who work so hard to get the horses ready for the professional jockeys to ride on race day. What made Ntunja’s victory even more special is that he is the full-time groom of Ruby Claire.
At the same meeting, there were two feature races which are always of great interest to the judging panel.
The three-year-old gelding, Home Reef, won the Gold Cup, a true test of stamina over 3200m, and has suddenly become a contender to be crowned as the Champion Long-distance (Stayer) horse.
The East Cape Paddock Stakes for fillies and mares was the other big race. It was dominated by the Western Cape visitors, which don’t qualify for the East Cape Awards. Luna Halo did the best of the locals with her third place. This four-year-old’s name should pop up when the judges discuss the category of Champion Older filly/mare soon.
