EYES ON FAIRY KNIGHT

-Henk Steenkamp

Trainer Alan Greeff will be hoping his golden period with Listed races at Fairview continues at Friday’s Turf meeting.

He has won the last four Listed races in the Eastern Cape and now has the R250 000 East Cape Guineas for three-year-olds over 1600m in his sights.

Another Listed race, the R175 000 East Cape Sprint Cup over 1200m, is also part of Friday’s good-looking meeting of eight races.

In the Guineas, Fairy Knight can certainly give Greeff and jockey Richard Fourie another Listed winner.

The son of Global View is in tremendous form and has won his last three starts.

“Fairy Knight has done everything that was expected of him. He has improved since he has been gelded,” Greeff commented.

Western Cape trainer Brett Crawford is involved with two interesting visitors – Zoomie and Zil Moris.

Zoomie beat Fairy Knight by 0.25 lengths over course and distance in November last year in the Racehorse Owners Association Stakes.

Fairy Knight gets the opportunity to turn the tables on Zoomie. He is in much better form than Zoomie who hasn’t set the world alight in Cape Town since his Fairview win.

Zoomie looks like the stable elect but the recent form of Zil Moris is more encouraging. Both Crawford runners can’t be ignored but will have to be at their very best to beat the local champion.

Hat’s Pride from the Glen Kotzen stable is another Western Cape raider in the race.

He finished third behind Zoomie and Fairy Knight in the November clash and has been taking on really strong opposition in the Western Cape recently. He also will have to produce his very best to win this.

It is a small field of seven runners and the raiders are the biggest dangers to another Greeff victory.

Kotzen won the Sprint Cup last year with the speedy Countdown. Countdown is back to defend his title and is capable of making it back to back victories.

Another Cape Town raider, the Justin Snaith-trained Silver Falcon, looks the horse to beat although he finished 0.3 lengths behind Countdown in the grade 2 Diadem Stakes last time out.

He encountered problems in that race and if all goes well this time, he can pull it off.

Khaya’s Hope (Gavin Smith) and Cliff Top (Greeff) look like the two runners who can give the locals something to shout about.

With a strong late run Khaya’s Hope, who loves track and trip, is expected to be in the mix. Cliff Top can be dangerous if he regains his best form.

The Guineas is race six at 1600m and the Sprint Cup will follow at 16:05.

The first race at 12:35 is a Maiden Juvenile Plate (fillies) and the Snaith visitor Blown In The Wind is the favourite in this first leg of the Bipot.

Hideki (Greeff) can make it back to back victories in the second race at 13:10. This Juvenile Plate is the first leg of the Place Accumulator.

Another huge Greeff runner is Crystal Maiden who makes her Fairview debut in race three, the first leg of the Pick Six.

It is the start of Jackpot One with race four at 14:20. Jackpot two starts with race five at 14:55.

After the two Listed races we end what should be a very entertaining meeting, with the eighth race at 16:35.

Find our selections at Henk Se Wenk.