It has been a while since Kwazulu-Natal trainer Gareth van Zyl has visited Fairview and he does so on Friday with a very interesting runner, writes Henk Steenkamp.
The five-year-old Flower Alley gelding Iron Bark will be contesting the feature race at the Polytrack meeting and has been priced up as the favourite to win the R175 000 Glendore Sprint (Non-Black Type) over 1000m – race seven of eight at 16:20.
Iron Bark has been impressive on the HWB Greyville Poly this year. He won his last five starts on this surface but it will be his first run on the faster running Fairview Poly.
Jockey Muzi Yeni knows his way around Fairview and does jump from pole position which is a plus for Iron Mask in his quest to continue his winning ways.
The big Fairview stables of top trainers Gavin Smith and Alan Greeff will be ready to give the visitor a warm welcome with some very speedy customers.
Slim Jannie (Smith) and Teatro (Greeff) are the biggest dangers to the favourite in a small field of eight runners.
Both these runners love the poly and are in good form. Luyolo Mxothwa will be riding Slim Jannie again and Richard Fourie is drawn right next to the favourite on Teatro.
The Polytrack should be running really fast and the pace will be on right from the start. This is not the race for the riders to lose focus – if you snooze you lose!
The meeting starts at 12:50 and the filly Enchanted Sky (Smith) should get favourite backers off to a good start in the first leg of the Bipot.
Place Accumulator players get going with the first leg in the second race at 13:25 and race three is the start of the Pick Six at 14:00.
And We Danced (Sharon Kotzen) should be too good for her opposition in the first leg of the Pick Six, a Conditions Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m.
Red William (Glen Kotzen) is the horse to beat in the first leg of the first Jackpot, race four at 14:35. The first leg of the second Jackpot, race five at 15:10, is a wide open affair.
GLENDORE SPRINT
RECENT WINNERS
2022: What A Winner
2021: Regimental
2020: Viking Moon
2019: Lord Balmoral
2018: Quinlan
2017: Omega Onslaught
2016: Scandal
2015: Villa Del Largo
2014: Insearchofthesun
2013: Insearchofthesun
2012: Never Forever
2011: Bob ‘n Weave
2010: Hear The Drums
2009: Hear The Drums