Trainer Alan Greeff seems to hold all the aces ahead of Friday’s race meeting at Fairview, where two Listed features, the East Cape Guineas and East Cape Sprint Cup, headline the nine-race card.
The East Cape Guineas is also the second leg of the East Cape Sophomore Challenge, and after romping to a 2.25-length victory in the opening leg, the Ibhayi Stakes over 1400m, My Best Shot looks hard to oppose.
A seven-time winner from 13 outings, My Best Shot already boasts a victory over 1600m and having completed a hat-trick in the Ibhayi Stakes, should keep his momentum going.
Rather disappointingly, he will face only five challengers, with two of these his stable companions Splicethemainbrace and Master Forester.
Splicethemainbrace is a nine-time winner from 11 runs and arguably by far the best three-year-old filly in the Eastern Cape, so watching her go head-to-head with My Best Shot is a race to look forward to.
Richard Fourie has been the regular jockey on both of Greeff’s star three-year-olds, and he will be aboard My Best Shot on Friday, with in-form Ryan Munger contracted to steer Splicethemainbrace.
While Greeff holds the aces, it could be Zietsman Oosthuizen who produces the joker in the form of Waheed.
This Time Thief gelding will be making his Fairview debut having relocated to the Eastern Cape from the Highveld yard of Mike and Mathew de Kock.
Waheed has contested five graded races without being disgraced, so there’s no denying he is held in high regard.
In the East Cape Sprint Cup, the Greeff-trained Fairy Knight is sure to attract cash in heaps.
This gelded son of Global View won both the Ibhayi Stakes and the East Cape Guineas last season. He has, however, been doing his best work over 1200m recently and will be aiming to complete a 1200m hat-trick.
The only concern is that Fairy Knight is coming off a break, which opens the door for Gavin Smith’s three-year-old Kingdundee.
A three-time winner as a juvenile, Kingdundee cantered in to take the honours in a Pinnacle Stakes in his first outing after turning three, beating the likes of Cliff Top by 2.25-lengths
If that run is any indication of his ability, he could well take this race in his stride and prove he is the young prince of Fairview ready to challenge for the crown.
Clive Robinson
