The highlight of the Eastern Cape season, the R350,000 Betway Algoa Cup (Listed), takes centre stage on the turf at Fairview on Friday, and this year it looks a very competitive event.
One has to go back to 2009 to find the last time a home-based runner won this event and on that occasion it was Surfin’ USA, who was trained by Jacques Strydom and ridden by his brother, Piere.
To add to the day, a R500,000 carryover will kick off the Pick 6 pool which is likely to reach R3 million.
Once again, visiting trainers from the Western Cape have made an outright assault on the race with Glen Kotzen fielding four runners, Justin Snaith two runners and Brett Crawford one.
All three trainers have provided multiple winners of this race in recent years and could be hard to peg back once again.
This year, however, could see a change of fortune for the local trainers, and it is worth noting that champion jockey Richard Fourie has turned his back on the seven Western Cape raiders and will ride Alan Greeff-trained filly Joy And Peace who is top weight for this year’s race.
The four-year-old Master Of My Fate filly won four successive races, including two over 2000m, before her winning run was broken last time out, when slowly away in a false-run race. She still made good progress late to finish fourth behind surprise winner Mount Anderson.
It will be crucial to ensure she does not lose ground at the start this time around as she has cracked the No 1 draw.
Fourie has won the last four races he has been aboard her.
Kotzen has had a good recent run with his raiders in the Eastern Cape but it is hard to pick which of his four runners could be the right one.
Holding Thumbs was impressive last time out but takes a huge jump in class. Blackberry Malt has improved with blinkers but also faces tougher this time.
Green Mandarin did not show his best last time out but that was over 1600m and Green Mandarin has been at his best over 1800m and should relish this longer distance so deserves respect
Chollima has run well at this course and is not out of it.
Regarding the Snaith entrants, Rockpool has not won for some time but is quite capable of being involved with the finish.
Stable companion Call To Unite has struck form with two nice wins and he could complete the hat-trick
Crawford-trained Allez Moris was only two lengths behind Call to Unite last time and is 2.5kg better off with that rival so could turn the tables
The other class act at this meeting is the sprinter Cruise Control who runs in Race 9, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m.
The Querari gelding has been better than ever since returning from Kwa-Zulu-Natal with two impressive wins.
His record with jockey Louie Mxothwa remains unbeaten and they can cap a a good day of racing.
Final field for the R350,000 Betway Algo Cup (Listed) over 2000m at Fairview on Friday.
1 - 1 JOY AND PEACE (A C Greeff) R Fourie 60.0 - 110
2 - 14 STREET ART (A C Greeff) C Habib 58.5 - 105
3 - 9 ROCKPOOL (J S Snaith) C Zackey 58.0 - 104
4 - 15 RUNAWAY SONG (G D Smith) L Mxothwa 58.0 - 104
5 - 16 MOUNT ANDERSON (K Mitchley) E Webber 57.0 - 102
6 - 4 FIREALLEY (JVA Strydom) G Wright 56.5 - 101
7 - 6 SEQUOIA (T J Laing) C Maujean 55.5 - 100
8 - 10 BLACKBERRY MALT (G S Kotzen) D Schwarz 55.0 - 98
9 - 13 CALL TO UNITE (J S Snaith) R A Venniker 54.5 - 99
10 - 8 BOURNEMOUTH (A C Greeff) S Veale 54.0 - 96
11 - 11 HOLDING THUMBS (G S Kotzen) J P v'd Merwe 52.0 - 93
12 - 3 ALLEZ MORIS (B Crawford) K Matsunyane 52.0 - 92
13 - 7 GREEN MANDARIN (G S Kotzen) C F Dicken 52.0 - 86
14 - 5 CHOLLIMA (G S Kotzen) Y Ramzan 52.0 - 83
15 - 12 ANATOLIAN SILVER (K Mitchley) M Yeni 52.0 - 80
16 - 2 SAN QUINTIN (E Kaknis) K Minnie 52.0 - 61
Same Trainer: (1,2,10) (3,9) (5,15) (8,11,13,14)