Highveld racing reaches a crescendo
There are 3-million reasons for bettors to study form and try their luck tomorrow at Turffontein.
The simple reason: the Pick 6 pool is expected to reach R3-million.
With only the one local race meeting on local soil, pools won’t be diluted, so it’s the perfect time to share in the spoils on a day when no less than seven feature races will be contested in Jozi.
One of the biggest drawcards on the day will be Buffalo Storm Cody, who contests the Grade 3 TAB Protea Stakes over 1100m.
This son of Buffalo Bill Cody is a superstar in the making.
To see him in action, is worth a trip to the Turffontein racetrack, where entry is free.
Many of the best horses on the Highveld will be in action for the last time this season before heading to KZN, and most will want to get on the float (the trucks that transports the horses between the various racing centres) on a high. Expect red-hot racing.
The weekend action starts today at Fairview in Gqeberha, where Eastern Cape champion trainer Gavin Smith is set to become the first South African trainer this season to saddle 100 winners.
Smith goes into today’s eight-race meeting on the Fairview Polytrack with a tally of 99, while his nemesis Alan Greeff is just a short head behind having saddled 96 winners in the season to date. He too could reach the ton milestone today.
Both stables are in fine form and both trainers will saddle 16 runners each today.
Smith will obviously try and reach the milestone as early as possible today, but if he has not done so by Race 5, he should be popping the champagne corks after this Classified Stakes over 1 200m, where he saddles hot favourite Forest Spy.
This Global View gelding ran a cracker last time out and if he can improve on that performance, the race is his for the taking.
Forest Spy also has all the sevens in his favour. It has been 77 days since his last race and 777 days since his last win.