Henk Steenkamp
Three runners – Phedra, Red Berry and Ekoria - will on Friday aim to win a Listed race for the second time this season.
They will be amongst the ten runners facing the starter in the R150 000 Listed East Cape Breeders Stakes over 1200m (race 7 at 16:10) on the Fairview Polytrack.
The meeting was scheduled to take place on the Turf track but was moved to the Poly. The Turf track is unsuitable to race on after the recent heavy rain in Gqeberha.
The change of surface resulted in Cape Town trainer Justin Snaith scratching nine runners which was a big blow to the meeting.
One of the Snaith runners who will not be in action is Kwinta’s Light who was the early favourite to win the Breeders Stakes.
This leaves the door open for the locals to make a good start in the first leg of the East Cape Challenge for fillies and mares.
Phedra (Sharon Kotzen Racing) won the Listed Milkwood Stakes in her last race on the Poly and can follow up.
Ekoria (Gavin Smith) won the Breeders Guineas earlier in the year and has the speed to be a big runner here. She is probably better on the Turf though.
Red Berry (Alan Greeff) beat Pedra to win the Listed Lady’s Pendant (on Turf) back in February. She will have to produce another run like that to be on the winning side.
Chere For Me (Jacques Strydom), Civil Rights (Smith) and Typsy Tina (Zietsman Oosthuizen) are others to keep an eye on.
Last year’s winner Franca (Greeff) has a tough task to defend her title successfully.
Cliff Top (Greeff) is the favourite to win a Pinnacle Stakes, race sixth at 15:35, over 1000m after his impressive victory in the Fairview Flying Five over the same distance.
That was on the Turf track but Cliff Top has won on the Poly before and should notch up his sixth career victory, despite his big mass of
62kgs.
The Smith stable will challenge strongly with Cruise Control, Stranger Danger and Ledell’s Echo. Al Qaasim (Oosthuizen) loves the Poly and is one to keep an eye on.
The first race is at 12:35 and is the first leg of the Bipot. The Place Accumulator starts with the second race at 13:10 and Pick Six players get involved from race three at 13:50.
The bet of the day will be Jackpot 1. The pool is boosted by a carryover of R250 000 and will hopefully reach R1 million.
Cliff Top (race 6 no 1) looks like the banker in the Jackpot (race 4 to 7).
EC BREEDERS STAKES RECENT WINNERS
2022: Franca
2021: Carioca
2020: World Radar
2019: Juniper Spring
2018: Star Burst Galaxy
2017: Clear Sailing
2016: Clear Sailing
2015: Yoshie
2014: Yoshie
2013: Hurricane Katrina
2012: Alvilda
2011: State Blue
2010: Hurricane Katrina