The Alan Greeff yard dominated the finish of the R150 000 Listed Milkwood Stakes at Fairview on Friday when the super-consistent grey 4yo Glacier Gold beat her year younger stablemate Franca in a rousing finish to the afternoon’s topliner.
Starting a weak 3-1 favourite in the 1000m contest, and one of a powerful Halo Stables quintet, Glacier Gold deservedly registered a black-type strike when she produced her customary turn-of-foot late down the inside to hold off a determined Richard Fourie on the 3yo Franca (9-2), who fought all the way to the wire.
Greg Cheyne gets Glacier Gold up to beat Franca (Richard Fourie) in a thriller (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Only a head separated the Greeff pair at the line, with the beautiful grey Glacier Gold clocking 57,09 secs.
Justin Snaith filled the third and fourth slots, with Winter Mosaic (9-2) a length back, and stablemate Phil’s Dancer (8-1) running another game race to bank the fourth cheque.
The winner races in a partnership of Ryan Graham, Dante Cicognini & Robin Strydom, who lease her from her breeders. Mr Graham was on course and confirmed that he now has 19 winners to go to reach his century! Not bad going for a well attired gent who doesn’t look a day over 40.
The Ridgemont Highlands-sponsored Greg Cheyne clearly knows how to get the best out of Glacier Gold, and that probably made the difference as they went to the line.
The versatile Glacier Gold is now a winner on both surfaces of 6 races up to 1300m, with 10 places from her 19 starts for stakes of R428 274.
Bred by Ridgemont Highlands, she is a daughter of Equus champion sprinter What A Winter (Western Winter) out of the five-time winning Fort Wood mare, Himalayan Hill.
Richard Fourie took the riding honours with three winners.
Alan Greeff saddled a treble on an entertaining afternoon of racing.
