A glorious seven-timer for multiple East Cape Champion trainer Alan Greeff, five of which were ridden by his Ridgemont-Highlands sponsored stable jockey Greg Cheyne, was the highlight of an entertaining Fairview polytrack meeting on Monday.
With the participation of the four East Cape participants in Saturday’s Sun Met day at Kenilworth hanging in the balance against an unconfirmed case of African Horse Sickness in the region, Greeff’s seven-timer was an entertaining bright light.
Alan Greeff and owner Jumat Cola lead Dad’s Roots (Greg Cheyne) in to make it 7 winners (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Ridgemont Highlands jockey Greg Cheyne chipped away at Warren Kennedy’s lead at the top of the SA championship table, when he booted home five of the Greeff winners, to take his tally to 106 for the season.
Ironically, one of the most fancied Greeff runners on the day, Ascending Heights in the Jackpot opener, ran a flying second under Cheyne behind a crafty Teaque Gould ride on the lesser fancied Pinch Pot – who gave Grant Paddock the only look in of the East Cape trainers on the day.
Had Ascending Heights won, it would have equalled Justin Snaith’s world record.
Kendall Mienie (Rumour Has It) and Bernard Fayd’herbe (Dubula) rode the two other Greeff winners to bring the master trainer’s tally to seven.
Greeff has no saddled 101 winners this season – close on 30 more than his nearest rival on the SA national log.
There are four East Cape raiders scheduled to run on Sun Met day, including the lightning fast Princess Rebel in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.
While nobody is speaking, the Sporting Post learns that blood tests have been awaited since Thursday to confirm the suspected AHS case. The raiding quartet is scheduled to leave Port Elizabeth on Tuesday evening for the Western Cape.
