WHAT A MONTH FOR SMITH

Henk Steenkamp

East Cape champion trainer Gavin Smith will be looking to end off a fantastic month (and year) in style at Friday’s Fairview Polytrack meeting.

It is the last Fairview meeting of 2023 and the Smith stable is probably wishing the year continues for a while.

The stable is having an incredible run and can add to the 18 winners for the month. Smith saddled five winners at the last meeting when he became the first trainer to reach 50 in the South African season.

This Friday’s meeting looks more competitive but it could again pay to follow the Smith stable over the eight races.

The feature is the sixth race at 15:25, the R175 000 Fairview 1900, in which Smith will saddle five of the eleven runners.

Cherry Ano and Peace In Our World look the best of the Smith runners but Gallic Tribe (Jacques Strydom) and Global Ally (Greeff) are huge challengers in a competitive affair.

The Fairview 1900 forms part of the carryover Jackpot One. The Pool is expected to reach R1 million.

Punters will be very interested in the Jackpot which starts with an interesting race four, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1200m, at 14:15.

With the help of an expected tailwind, this should be a very fast race. Cruise Control (Smith) and Cliff Top (Greeff) will resume rivalry and should fight it out if they are on top of their game. Prince Of Fire (Kelly Mitchley) and Evies First (Juan Nel) are also contenders.

The first race is off at 12:25 and is the first leg of the Bipot. The Place Accumulator starts with the second race at 13:00.

Last Friday there were rough results in the Pick Six and it will again be challenging for punters when it starts with race three at 13:35.

The meeting will be the last for Lunga Gila as a Fairview trainer. The stable is relocating to Cape Town and Gila will end his successful East Cape stint with two runners on Friday (races 2 & 8).

Find our tips on race day at Henk Se Wenk.