Eastern Cape trainers' title hots up

Jack Milner

We have been so focused on Richard Fourie’s record-breaking run that the fight for Champion Trainer in the Eastern Cape has been put on the back burner.

However, it is alive and well and heading for another dramatic showdown between Alan Greeff and Gavin Smith.

Last season it went right down to the last meeting with Gavin Smith holding on to win by a couple of winners.

Greeff held an eight-win lead going into last Friday’s meeting at Fairview but Smith had a treble while Greeff had a rare blank day so the gap was reduced to five with their respective totals going into Monday’s meeting on the Polytrack at 124 for Greeff and 119 for Smith.

Both have some good runners on the eight-race card and it will be interesting to see how the scale will tilt by the end of this meeting.

In Race 2, a Maiden Plate over 1200m, disappointing Run For Me has an ideal opportunity to get out of the maiden ranks.

This Master Of My Fate gelding has reached 30 starts now without winning but has finished runner-up four times. This 1600m on the Polytrack suits him nicely and Louie Mxothwa does get the best out of Run For Me.

However, Greeff can bounce back with a couple of his own winners, both with Fourie up, and he can claim Races 4 and 7, with Regazzo Grande and Arturo respectively.

Regazzo Grande took 21 runs to win his maiden and possibly more out of desperation than anything else, Greeff decided to try him over 1900m as opposed to his previous distances of 1600m and 1400m.

The result was literally a runaway success as the Flying The Flag gelding romped home by 5.25 lengths on the Polytrack.

He goes 2200m this time and could be even better.

Jack Milner’s selections

Race 1: 4 Milliondollar Girl, 1 Venetian Moonlight, 3 Rain Bird, 6 Double Trade

Race 2: 1 Run For Me, 2 Torrone, 5 Come On You Spurs, 9 My True Love

Race 3: 9 Dance Mo, 3 Wolfram, 4 Petteia, 6 Fearless Badger

Race 4: 1 Regazzo Grande, 4 Ellis Island, 3 Give Us A Smile, 2 Kanimambo

Race 5: 9 Soft Touch, 7 Sundrop, 5 Lady Zultanite, 2 On The Guest List

Race 6: 9 Meeneera, 6 Maldano, 3 Reach Forthe Stars, 2 Meetatthewindsor

Race 7: 2 Arturo, 5 Irontail, 12 Duke Of Orange, 3 Charlie Malone

Race 8: 3 Dawn Of Gold, 5 Project Runway, 4 Pitzuchim, 1 Bytheliteofthemoon

BEST BET

Race 1 No 4 Milliondollar Girl

VALUE BET

Race 6 No 9 Meeneera,

BEST SWINGER

Race 1 1x4

BIPOT

R64

Leg 1: 4

Leg 2: 1

Leg 3: 9

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 5: 2, 5, 7, 9

Leg 6: 2, 3, 6, 9

PLACE ACCUMULATOR

R243

Leg 1: 1

Leg 2: 9

Leg 3: 1, 3, 4

Leg 4: 5, 7, 9

Leg 5: 3, 6, 9

Leg 6: 2, 5, 12

Leg 7: 3, 4, 5

PICK 6

R1600

Leg 1: 9

Leg 2: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 3: 2, 5, 7, 9

Leg 4: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 5: 2, 3, 5, 12

Leg 6: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

JACKPOT 1

R320

Leg 1: 1, 2, 3, 4

Leg 2: 2, 5, 7, 9

Leg 3: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 4: 2, 3, 5, 12

JACKPOT 2

R400

Leg 1: 2, 5, 7, 9

Leg 2: 2, 3, 4, 6, 9

Leg 3: 2, 3, 5, 12

Leg 4: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5