Once again, the combination of trainer Alan Greeff and jockey Richard Fourie have a full card of decent chances when racing switches to the Polytrack on Tuesday at Fairview.
Very well-bred Sharapova took a long time to win her second race after her maiden victory, but it wasn’t without some narrow defeats. Often with these types of horses, a win boosts their confidence, and they can follow up.
The Querari mare runs in Race 5, a MR 72 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1400m. Sharapova has shown her best around this distance and won over 1300m in her latest start. She picked up a three-point penalty for that win, but from a good draw, she should run another big race.
Stable companion Greenlight Legend runs a race later in a Classified Stakes over 1600m. This Gimmethegreenlight filly was going nowhere until sent to master trainer Greeff, and she has certainly turned the corner since arriving in his yard.
The four-year-old filly is unbeaten in two starts under his care. Her first win does not look like much on paper—beating the battling maiden Genteel by 0.50 lengths — but was visibly in total control of that race.
It was even more evident in her follow-up win that she has more victories in her tank, as she was full of running when beating Sky Velocity by two lengths. The handicapper penalised her five points for that win, and she takes on some in-form males, but it will not be a surprise if she completes her hat-trick.
Greeff has a good hand to play in the last race as well. Fourie will be on Haphazard, but she is not well drawn. Recent maiden winners Ono No Komachi and One Giant Leap are both coming off comfortable maiden wins and could prove good back-up for Haphazard.
Clive Robinson
