Fairview meeting a watered-down affair

Danie Toerien

Friday's race meeting at Fairview did not quite live up to expectations as the last three races on the card were abandoned.

This followed after a protest by the jockeys riding at the course, citing poor visibility and a water-logged track.

There was also a total of 11 scratchings, which diminished some fields, notably race 2 where only five horses went to post. This resulted in all the money wagered on horses to place in that race being refunded by TAB.

The scratching of Divine Odyssey early yesterday morning also had many punters reassessing their selections as this Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained gelding was aiming for a fifth straight victory since relocating to Gqeberha. Most bettors had banked on the seven-year-old to carry them through the exotics, but a lame hind cause his withdrawal from race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 2000m.

That race was eventually won by the Gavin Smith-trained Jaeger Moon, with Richard Fourie in the saddle. And what a victory it was. This son of Capetown Noir cruised in with 6.5-lengths to spare ahead of Jacob’s Ladder, with Herodotus a further 2-lengths back.

In the preceding race, a MR86 Handicap over 1600m, apprentice Yuzae Ramzan caused the upset of the day when he steered Atkinson Grimshaw to victory for trainer Gavin Smith.

Beating tote favourite Ferrari Ice by half a length, Smith’s charge paid R24,10 for the win.

This resulted in the Pick 6 paying a pretty decent R339, despite the last three legs not being contested.

Jockey Wayne Agrella and trainer Cliffie Miller combined to take the honours in the third with Silver Slippers.

The three-year-old Coup De Grace filly has been knocking hard for a while and finally got her reward at the fifteenth time of asking.

It didn’t come easy though as she was in a ding-dong battle with Gift Of Giving all the way to the line. It will be interesting to see what Miller’s next plan with her is, and one can only hope that her merit rating isn’t increased unrealistically after her maiden victory.