The Alan Greeff-trained Splicethemainbrace has won six of her eight starts, with both defeats being unplaced runs on soft tracks.
On Tuesday 7 January The Master Of My Fate-filly looks hard to oppose in Race 3, the Aloe Stakes on the Polytrack over 1300m at Fairview.
The three-year-old was very impressive the only time she tried the Polytrack when handing rival Happy Holly a 2.25-length beating giving her 8kg.
There is a slight change to that as, this time round, Splicethemainbrace gives that rival 8.50kg.
Followers of merit-ratings could have been surprised by that win as there had been very little between those two rivals when they met on a few occasions on the turf track.
Splicethemainbrace’s win did suggest that Happy Holly does not particularly like the Polytrack.
On official ratings Happy Holly is a comfortable winner but the betting will probably not suggest that when they jump.
Splicethemainbrace has won 6 of her 7 starts under Richard Fourie and he will undoubtedly be looking forward to the ride.
Trainer Greef backs his star filly up with Can’t Say No and Ignitethelight.
Can’t Say No has not been at her best of late but is quite capable of getting into the money again.
Ignitethelight is unbeaten in two starts on the Polytrack and on both occasions she has won with something in hand and it will not be much of a surprise if she were to be the main threat to Splicethemainbrace.
Later on this card it may pay to be with Mr Belvedere in Race 5, a Classified Stakes over 1400m.
This four-year-old took 12 starts to get out the maiden ranks. He did, however, win on local debut.
That win was also on this surface and he won in a manner that suggests he has more wins in hand.
Clive Robinson
