Greeff’s Luna Halo a real racer

Danie Toerien

FIVE winners for trainer Alan Greeff on Friday at Fairview not only took his tally for the season past the 100-mark, but also ensured that he now trails Gavin Smith by just four winners, with the two leading contenders in the Eastern Cape on 103 and 107 winners respectively.

The sweetest of his wins was undoubtedly Luna Halo’s runaway victory in the Listed Lady’s Slipper Stakes for two-year-old fillies over 1 400m with Richard Fourie in the saddle.

This daughter of Fire Away bred by Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein now boasts four career wins from five outings, beaten only once when contesting the Bloodstock SA Sales Cup for two-year-old fillies over 1 200m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, where she finished fourth, just three lengths behind The Charleston.

Race caller Brandon Bailey summed up Luna Halo perfectly when he said she’s a filly that’s improving at the rate of knots.

Friday's feature race saw the Smith-trained Idita sliding past the field in the opening 100m to take a three-length advantage under S’manga Khumalo. Luna Halo and Justin Snaith’s Cape Town raider Golden Sickle, with JP v’d Merwe in the saddle, settled side-by-side behind the early pacemaker.

Exiting the final turn, Golden Sickle drifted out wide a touch and lost valuable ground, while Luna Halo, who was hugging the rail all the way, had open ground ahead of her and picked up the pace to take the lead.

Once in front, she just kept on extending her lead and eventually ran out a 2.25-length winner.

Idita tried her best to stay with Luna Halo, but with 150m to go, it was clear that she would have to settle for second place.

Luna Halo’s stablemate Joy And Peace, ridden by Rachel Venniker, finished third with their other inmate Summer Odyssey completing the quartet.

Golden Sickle faded out to finish fifth.

It must be noted that Friday's race meeting was severely affected by the decision to move the eight races from the turf track to the polytrack.

This decision was taken after early morning gallops indicated unsafe underfoot conditions on the turf track. A total of 17 runners were scratched with the trainers citing the change of surface as the reason.