WITH trainers Gavin Smith and Alan Greeff at Fairview, local horseracing fans are sure to witness many more incredible moments.
At last week’s two meetings at the Greenbushes track, these two gentlemen showed why they are considered among the best in the country.
First it was Greeff who shone at Tuesday’s polytrack meeting, when his stable won the first five races on the card.
Three days later it was Smith’s turn when he won four races, including the Breeders Guineas, on the turf surface.
The Tuesday meeting looked particularly competitive but no fireworks were expected as it was a bit of a low-key event.
This situation changed very quickly. As the news spread that Greeff was winning race after race, the racing public got more and more involved.
Punters countrywide poured money onto the Greeff runners, and the small crowd were making quite a noise shouting the winners home.
You very seldom see one stable winning the first five races at the meeting, and to top it all the winners were ridden by the same jockey.
Richard Fourie, one of the best in the business, was doing duty for the Greeff yard and was at his very best.
The eighth and last race on Tuesday very nearly gave Greeff his sixth winner, but it was in fact the very first winner for Lunga Gila as a trainer.
Gila has been around racehorses for many years and recently took out his trainers’ licence. It was a dream-come-true for him when he stepped out his first two runners as a trainer on Tuesday.
He could not have asked for a better start to his training career. He had a horse (Settle the Dust) in the first race which finished second, and then it was a long wait for him till the last race.
It was worth the wait as Gila won this race with one of his favourite horses, Vihzoe’s Magic.
The crowd’s wild reaction to Gila’s first win confirmed that he is a very popular man in racing circles, and also indicated that he could be very successful as a trainer if he gets the necessary support.
After a quiet Tuesday meeting, the champion yard of Smith hit back in no uncertain manner by dominating the Friday meeting.
Amongst the four winners there were some real eye-catching performances. The filly Ekoria won the big one on the day, the Breeders Guineas, in fine style and Cruise Control gave another classy display by winning a Pinnacle Stakes.
The manner in which Perfection won his race makes him one to follow in the future.
Fairview dates
10 March – Turf
17 March – Fillies Nursery
24 March – Sprint Cup & Guineas
31 March – Poly
