FAIRVIEW FAIRYTALE

Fairy Knight gets a golden opportunity to run into the record books at the Fairview Turf track on Friday afternoon.

The son of Global View is the odds-on favourite to win the R350 000 Listed TAB East Cape Derby.

The Derby is also the third and final leg of the Sophomore Challenge for three-year-olds.

Fairy Knight can become the first outright winner of this Challenge to secure a bonus of R250 000 for his connections.

He won the Ibhayi Stakes in February and the East Cape Guineas in March.

Stormy Appeal is the only horse to have won an East Cape Challenge outright. She won the Challenge for fillies and mares in 2003, when in the care of champion trainer Gavin Smith.

The Derby has been dominated by the Cape Town raiders in recent years but this year they didn’t make the trip to the Eastern Cape.

This makes it easier for Fairy Knight because the big question is if he will have enough stamina to handle the distance of 2400m.

Trainer Alan Greeff and jockey Richard Fourie would not have attempted the Derby if they thought Fairy Knight can’t master the distance.

Greeff thinks the class of Fairy Knight will pull him through and he doesn’t see the distance as a problem.

Fairy Knight looks ready to win again and will have huge support at the track and around the country.

The South African racing public loves to see a horse winning a Challenge outright and Fairy Knight will be the banker for many punters who will be shouting him home.

At the track we have seen the support Fairy Knight and Fourie get from the passionate group of owners from the Halo Syndicate. It will probably be turned up a notch with so much at stake on Friday.

If Fairy Knight flops, the race is wide open but Greeff has good backup in the Master Of My Fate filly Joy and Peace.

There has been betting support for her and Greeff is expecting a very good effort from Joy And Peace, also a Syndicate owned horse.

The Smith stable is very strong in the Listed Dahlia Plate for two-year-olds over 1200m.

Smith will saddle four runners, with Kingdundee probably the stable elect. The son of The United States caught the eye when finishing second in the Listed East Cape Nursery last month.

Silvonian also has a say and the filly Happy Holly showed what she is capable of with a second place in the Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery.

Greeff and Fourie combine with the filly Havana Grey who looks like she is improving at a fast pace. Her chances can’t be ignored.

Although the Derby field of eight runners is a bit disappointing, it is still a very decent card of nine races.

The best way to start a Fairview meeting is with a Work Riders Maiden Plate. This is a very competitive race to get the ball rolling at 12:20.

The Bipot starts with the second race at 12:55, the Place Accumulator with race three at 13:30 and Pick Six players get involved from the fourth race at 14:05.

Grazinginthegrass will be aiming at a 15^th career victory in a Pinnacle Stakes, race five at 14:40.

It is the first leg of the first Jackpot and Grazinginthegrass can be considered as a banker but Cherry Ano is a big danger.

The Dahlia Plate is race six, off at 15:15, and gets the second Jackpot underway.

The Derby is race seven at 15:45, followed by two very open looking races to end the day.

Find our selections at Henk Se Wenk.