Following 10mm of rain overnight off a high Penetrometer reading of 27 it has been decided to move the meeting from the Turf to the Polytrack. More rain is forecast through the day. The current surface is patchy and there are fairly large variances in certain areas.
The following changes in race distances will be: Race2-1300m - Race3-2200m - Race 5-1300m. Look out for scratchings due to the surface change.
Before the surface change, all eyes were on Cliff & Jannie.
After just missing out in his last two starts, Cliff Top looks ready to find the number one box. It is a very strong renewal of the R200 000 Betway Insurebet Cradock Place Stakes (Non-Black Type) over 1200m but Cliff Top is having his peak run and has been very consistent lately. The track and trip suits and jockey Richard Fourie will be keen to strike with the son of Canford Cliffs for the Alan Greeff stable in the feature on the day (race 7 at 15:05) after a winless outing last Friday.
Slim Jannie is a big danger. He is in tremendous form for the yard of champion trainer Gavin Smith and will be looking to make it back to back victories in NBT races. He won the Speeders Stakes last month. This is another big task for Slim Jannie but he won four of his last five starts to show he is capable of winning this race. He just seems to be getting better and better. His regular pilot S’manga Khumalo won’t be at Fairview and Louie Mxothwa takes the ride.
The meeting of nine races starts at 11:55. Punters must keep an eye on the conditions as there might be rain around and a tailwind is predicted.
The Bipot gets underway with the second race at 12:25 and the third race at 12:55 is the first leg of the Place Accumulator. Pick Six players get involved from the fourth race which is off at 13:25. It is Jackpot time at 14:00 with race five as the first leg of the first Jackpot.
The Betway Boost Racehorse Owners Association Plate for three-year-olds over 1400m is race sixth and the first leg of the second Jackpot. Eight runners will face the starter at 14:35 and this looks like a boat race between Underworld (Justin Snaith) and Fairy Knight (Greeff). It will be interesting to see how Big Fella (Kelly Mitchley) shapes up in this company after his sensational winning Fairview debut a month ago.
Two very competitive races follow the feature race and as usual the last at Fairview is one for the Quartet players to get stuck in! Coastal Path (Greeff) should be right there in this one.
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