GREEFF GIVES IT HIS BEST SHOT

Henk Steenkamp

Champion trainer Alan Greeff will give it his best shot to make it a feature double at the Fairview Turf track on Friday.

Greeff and champion jockey Richard Fourie are a potent combination in both Listed races, the R175 000 Ibhayi Stakes over 1400m (race 4 at 14:10) and the R150 000 Lady’s Pendant over 1200m (race 7 at 15:58).

The Ibhayi Stakes is the first of three legs of the East Cape Sophomore Challenge for three-year-olds.

Greeff saddles My Best Shot who will be very hard to beat. The son of Fire Away is in great form and should notch up his seventh-career victory.

My Best Shot has won four times and finished third once from as many starts over this track and trip. He is a banker in the first leg of Jackpot One.

The Lady’s Pendant is for fillies and mares over 1200m. Three Rocks won this race for the Greeff stable last year and is back to try and defend her title.

It is not going to be easy. Three Rocks has won three times from seven starts over track and trip but it has been a quiet season for her.

She was doing her best work late in her last start over 1000m and will enjoy returning to 1200m. Three Rocks can’t be left out of any bets.

There are three Western Cape visitors in the race which must be respected.

Disting (Glen Kotzen) ran a cracker in the Listed Olympic Duel Stakes at Kenilworth last month and looks a huge runner.

Be Merry (Justin Snaith) wasn’t at her best in her last start but is a contender on previous form.

Trip To Maputo (Candice Bass-Robinson) won her last start and another good run is expected.

Gimme’s Lassie, Montelena (both Gavin Smith) and Gocekwithlove (Greeff) are others who can be in the mix in a race which looks much more competitive than the other feature.

The meeting starts with a Juvenile Plate for fillies at 12:25. This is the first leg of the Bipot and Anotherdanceforme (Greeff) will be a popular banker.

In the second race at 13:00, the first leg of the Place Accumulator, American Matador (Greeff) and Chili Bomb (Greeff) should fight it out for the win.

Greeff and Fourie hold the key to a flawless start to the Pick Six for punters. Fire Alarm (race 3 at 13:35), followed by My Best Shot in the next race, can get us off to a flying start.

We will have to wait for the eighth and last race to see the reigning East Cape Horse of the Season in action.

The four-year-old filly Joy And Peace will line up for the Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m at 16:35. Underworld (Snaith) could be the danger.

The Greeff-Fourie combination has been in tremendous form lately and punters will structure their bets around their runners once again – as always, let’s give it a go!