Some closely contested battles are expected at Fairview on Friday. Picture: iStock
One of Eastern Cape’s most prestigious race meetings of the year is staged on Fairview’s turf track on Friday, with the Listed Glenair Trophy and the Listed East Cape Oaks topping the bill.
As usual with a big day in The Bay, a gang of Western Cape stables travel up the coast intent on snaffling prize money and studbook black type.
Among these, Justin Snaith attracts the most attention as he has a phenomenal recent record at Fairview and many of his runners simply slot in at the top of the bookmakers’ boards by default.
However, Glen Kotzen is wont to slip beneath the Snaith radar and grab a few purses for himself.
You certainly don’t want to leave his horses out of Friday’s big racecalculations.
Winter Scout in the Oaks and Follow The Star in the Glenair even present a bit of value – thanks to the spotlight falling
elsewhere.
Snaith’s duo of three-year-old fillies, Bye Bye Bombshell and Peut Etre Moi, are likely to dominate the betting for the 2000m Oaks.
However, neither of them has raced beyond 1600m and we must speculate about stamina – though pedigrees do suggest staying possibilities.
Kotzen’s candidates Winter Scout and Do Si Do have done well at 1800m and 2000m respectively and have an edge in terms of experience of running marathons.
The Kotzen pair have also recently raced at Fairview, whereas the Snaith squad have never ventured beyond Cape Town.
It’s a similar story in the venerable Glenair 2800m. Snaith-trained Sabina’s Prodigy has done well up to 2000m, but Kotzen’s Follow The Star has proven himself over 3200m – and knows all about the PE
course.
SELECTIONS
1: 5 Ekoria, 6 Quelea, 7 Racinante, 3 Seismic Event
2: 1 Keep It Secret, 4 I want It All, 3 You Know Who, 2 Peace In Our World.
3: 4 Global Beat, 2 Act Of Thunder, 1 V V Power, 7 Phedra
4: 7 Glacier Gold, 3 Fly My Flag, 1 Joyful Noise, 9 Afternoon Tea
5: 1 Pleasedtomeetyou, 5 Whatever Next, 9 Evies First, 4 Stranger
Danger
6: 2 Winter Scout, 6 Peut Etre Moi, 7 Do Si Do, 3 Bye Bye Bombshell
7: 7 Follow The Star, 4 Sabina’s Prodigy, 5 Miss Orange, 3 Find Me
Unafraid
8: 2 Ferrari Ice, 1 Star Of The South, 6 Moon Game, 5 Aus Bob
Pick 6: 1,2 x 1,3,6,7,9,10 x 1,5,9 x 1,2,3,4,6,7,8 x 4,7 x 1,2,5,6 (R2016)
PA: 1 x 1,2,4 x 1,3,7 x 1 x 2,6,7 x 7 x 1,2 (R54)