GOLDEN PALM SET TO JOIN THE LIST

October 2025

Henk Steenkamp

Golden Palm is set to become an equine millionaire on Friday and join some famous names on the list of winners of the R200 000 Listed Racehorse Owners Association Stakes.

This race for three-year-old horses over 1600m is the feature at the Fairview Turf track meeting.

It is always a special race on the East Cape calendar but this time only six runners will face the starter for the sixth race at 15:30.

The presence of Golden Palm makes it an exciting event. Many previous winners of this race, and also some who only managed to place, went on to achieve bigger things on the international and national scene.

Racing purists will have many wonderful stories to tell when they look at some of the famous names who caught the eye in this race.

The list includes former Hollywoodbets Durban-July winners Bold Silvano and Big City Life, and others like Lizard’s Desire, Paris Perfect and Global Drummer.

Golden Palm was last season’s Champion two-year-old filly and already has a Grade 1 victory behind her name. She was an impressive winner of the Douglas Whyte Thekwini Stakes in July.

That was her fourth consecutive victory and she should add to that tally on Friday when she starts her three-year-old career.

Golden Palm will have regular jockey Richard Fourie aboard and looks way too strong for the rest.

The daughter of Master Of My Fate returns from a three-month break. Trainer Alan Greeff will keep an eagle eye on his star’s progress with bigger things in mind for her later in the season.

Golden Palm looks like a confident banker in all bets. If she does fluff her lines unexpectedly, one can look towards her stablemate King Prawn (last season’s East Cape Champion two-year-old colt/gelding) and the Gavin Smith-trained All Systems Go to pick up the pieces, but we are all in with Golden Palm.

The meeting starts at 12:35 with a competitive first leg of the Bipot. Up And Away is a Greeff first-timer which must be included.

The Place Accumulator also starts on a competitive note with an open looking second race at 13:10.

Horses who join Golden Palm on the shortlist for the day are Royal Kingdom (Greeff, race 4) and Home Reef (Sharon Kotzen, race 5).

Royal Kingdom looks like an improving sort and could follow up on a solid last win on the poly surface. A change in riding tactics did the trick and Fourie will be ready to strike in a handicap over 1400m.

Home Reef is in fabulous form and will be looking for a third win in a row. He is a genuine strayer and tackles a Conditions Plate over 2400m.

A very good run is expected but there are few who should make a race of it.

With Golden Palm as a banker we are ready, as always, to give it a go!