Fairview hosts the final East Cape racemeeting of the 2020/21 season on the turf on Friday, with the local champion trainer title set to go all the way down to the wire.
Alan Greeff leads his longstanding rival Gavin Smith by 3 winners, with just nine races to be run.
Marmara Sea is out to defend his title on Friday (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Historically, the East Cape trainer title has been decided on number of winners, unlike our national title which is based on stakes.
Greeff has 24 carded runners versus his Hollywoodbets-sponsored counterpart’s 28 runners on the day.
In the afternoon’s feature, the duo saddle a coupling each.
Greeff’s 4yo gelding Marmara Sea will bid to defend his title in the Listed Memorial Mile.
Henk Steenkamp writes that all of Marmara Sea, Gavin Smith’s cracking 3yo Jaeger Moon, and Earth Hour from the Juan Nel yard, are amongst the biggest stars in the province and are challenged by a strong Western Cape contingent consisting of Majestic Mozart, Captain Flinders and Somerset Maugham.
Candice Bass-Robinson – chasing her century (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Candice Bass-Robinson, who saddles Majestic Mozart, is on 99 winners, and aiming to achieve 100 winners in a season for the first time in her career.
Justin Snaith will be looking for some improvement from Somerset Maugham and the new SA Champion trainer will be going all out for 9 winners in the remaining three meetings to beat Sean Tarry’s record mark of 215 set some five years ago.
Snaith is currently on 207 winners.
Past winners of the Memorial Mile to evoke some reminiscing:
- 2020: Marmara Sea
- 2019: Sacred Arrow
- 2018: Afrikaburn
- 2017: Stormy Eclipse
- 2016: Readytogorightnow
- 2015: Night Trip
- 2014: Red Barrel
- 2013: Celtic Fire
- 2012: Celtic Fire
- 2011: Fabiani
- 2010: Celtic Fire
- 2009: Vangelis
