Fairview hosts South Africa’s longest race on Friday with the running of the R150 000 Listed Port Elizabeth Gold Cup over the testing 3600m.
Shady World wins the 2017 PE Gold Cup
A 5yo maiden is amongst the seven runners who will bid to spoil Alan Greeff’s 2017 winner Shady World’s title defence party.
The Birch Bros bred last Friday evening’s Gr2 Post Merchants winner Sniper Shot and they could well follow up with the 5yo Ideal World gelding, Shady World. But the 5yo has done little since beating Jeremy to win this race at 66-1 last year. He was not striding out at his penultimate start when staying on for fourth over 2200m on the poly when not striding out. He finished 16 lengths back in the Glenlair Trophy last time but will enjoy the extra 400m on Friday.
The Elmo Effect – class over ground
A winner of the Drum Star Handicap and Java Handicap in his former home province, six-time winner The Elmo Effect has his second start here. Considered good enough to run in the Gold Cup last year – he admittedly failed to feature – the son of Admire Main represents the class and stays well.
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Tara Laing has won this race four times in the past five years and saddles Plano, who tries the trip for the first time. The Silvano gelding moved up like a winner in the Glenlair last time but stopped late to run a four length fourth. He could be better if ridden with more restraint.
Desert Wisdom beats Frikkie in the Glenlair last time
Jacques Strydom saddles the game stayer Frikkie who flew late to be beaten half a length in the Glenlair Trophy. This hard knocking son of Elusive Fort warrants serious consideration and comes in fit from a trainer who gets them to win over ground.
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Glenlair winner Desert Wisdom stays all day and is one of the better longhaulers in the region. The son of Querari holds most of them on his last win and could follow up.
Greg Cheyne – replacement rider for Zanadu
Mike Stewart makes the long trip from Noordhoek with the only filly Zanadu. Mike has been this road before and could have pulled a wild card out of his sleeve with a filly limited in the Cape with stamina tests. The daughter of Ideal World shed her maiden over 2500m at her last start. An interesting runner, who will now be ridden by Greg Cheyne.
Chappaquidick was outclassed in the East Cape Derby and does not appear to have the form to win here. The 3yo son of Mullins Bay was a runaway maiden winner on the poly over 2200m.
Third of the Strydom trio is the 5yo maiden Don’t Let Me Down, who has run a few modest places in 28 starts. While he has yet to try the trip, he has no chance on what he has shown to date.
There are only eight runners, but it’s wide open with chances to six of them. The lack of collateral form over the trip is a curved ball.
Desert Wisdom has some scope and he could be good enough to hold stablemate Frikkie, with The Elmo Effect and Shady World the dangers.
