IF you thought horse racing at the Fairview track in Greenbushes was ultracompetitive, “you ain’t seen nothing yet”.
Enthusiasts enjoy this time of the Eastern Cape season because there is even more at stake than usual.
There are only six meetings left till the end of the season.
This gives the role-players not much time to achieve season milestones or make sure of a prestigious award coming their way.
Everyone will be trying extra hard to ensure a victory and this makes for very exciting and competitive racing.
The battle for the EC trainers’ title, between Gavin Smith and Alan Greeff, has been a highlight of the season and it is not over yet.
Smith is in a very good position though to hang onto his lead as the end of the season approaches. He is 12 winners ahead of the defending champion. Smith has saddled 117 winners and Greeff 105, both enjoying brilliant seasons.
Zietsman Oosthuizen just needs one winner at Friday’s meeting to become the third trainer to enjoy 50 victories this season at Fairview.
Three jockeys, Greg Cheyne (76), Richard Fourie (52) and Warren Kennedy (50), got to 50 winners. Cheyne won’t be caught and will be the EC champion for the sixth consecutive season.
There is plenty to look forward to in those six meetings before the season ends with the Champion Juvenile Cup on July 29.
On July 1, the EC Breeders Stakes will be the feature race. It also is the first leg of the EC Challenge for fillies and mares.
Then the marathon race for the Gold Cup is on July 15 and the race for two-year-old horses, the Champion Juvenile Cup, will close the season on the 29th.
The sensational performances of two two-year-old fillies, Chere for Me and Ekoria, have the tongues wagging in local racing circles.
Hopefully both of them will line up for the Champion Juvenile Cup, a race for all two-year-olds, not just the fillies.
The best two-year-old colts in the province this season, Cliff Top and Forest Spy, might also take their place in this one.
Elsewhere in the country the focus is on Africa’s biggest race, the Hollywoodbets Durban-July on July 2.
It will be the 126th edition of the race and there is a record R5 million prize money to aim at.
The race received a major boost with the confirmation that the 56–year–old Gqeberha–born rider Piere (Striker) Strydom will be in action.
He only recently returned to the saddle after a semi-detached retina in April last year led to medical advice to take a break from riding.
Strydom, a former Framesby High learner, residing in Gauteng, is a legend of the sport with multiple titles and records behind his name.
He will be riding Belgarion, the winner of 2020, in the big race.
Upcoming Fairview meetings:
June
24: Turf
July
1: Turf – East Cape Breeders Stakes
8: Polytrack
15: Turf – Gold Cup
22: Turf
29: Turf – Champion Juvenile Cup
