Greeff fleeced by the Highway Man
THE Highway Man caused one of the upsets of the week yesterday at Fairview when he clinched the World Sports Betting East Cape Poly Challenge over 1600m, going off at 66-1.
It was no surprise when he hit the front early, as this Querari gelding is a frontrunner of note, having led the field at the 800m marker in each of his nine previous runs.
While he was caught in eight of those runs, yesterday jockey Stallone Naidoo judged the pace to perfection enabling his mount to maintain his lead right up to the post, beating Earth Hour by 1.50 lengths.
For trainer Alan Greeff it must have been a bit disappointing as he saddled four of the 11 runners.
His best runner was Madame Speaker, who finished fourth. It was her 24th career run and she maintained her record of having finishing in the top four on every single occasion.
While yesterday’s disappointment will probably hurt a bit, Greeff no doubt is still on cloud nine following his exceptional 2019-20 season, which ended on Friday.
Greeff is the undisputed king of Fairview, having saddled 169 winners last season.
This performance places him sixth in the trainers’ championship, behind Sean Tarry, Justin Snaith, Brett Crawford, Mike de Kock and Paul Peter.
However, had trainers been ranked according to number of wins as opposed to total stakes won, Greeff would have been the runaway victor.
He is one of only four trainers who passed the 100-winner mark last season, the others being Snaith on 122, Tarry on 120 and Peter on 114
“It was a great season winning races wise but it has been a very difficult year with things happening around Phumelela, stakes decreasing and the virus,” Greeff told
Henk Steenkamp recently. “This had a big impact on us and as time goes on we will feel the after effects even more.
“I am grateful for what happened and that we can race but it has been a very rough and tough season.”
Despite the current slump, Greeff is positive about what lies ahead.
“We have to be positive. Racing is in everyone’s blood and I know nothing else but to race.
“The general vibe has gone from a depressed vibe to a more positive vibe. We just had to adapt, button down and work a little bit harder and a little bit more sensible.
“The training of the horses stayed much the same but you got to adapt or die. As we have heard on numerous occasions, life is not as we know it.
“We got to make the best of it and look to the future. It is something we got to live with, otherwise it will get you down if you don’t.”
Had it not been for the Covid-19 outbreak, Greeff could well have surpassed his record of 176 winners from last season. But he is not someone who chases records.
“No, no, I am not a record chaser. Those things must happen on its own. My aim is to train winners. As long as I have winners and it keeps the owners happy, I am happy. The rest will take care of itself.”
Greeff will be crowned the East Cape champion for the seventh consecutive season – and the 14th time overall - but makes it clear that winning the title is not his main goal.
“I don’t train to win a trainers championship. I had a very good run and am grateful for that, but it is a big wheel and it does turn.
“I have gone through weeks where I haven’t had winners and you just have to bite the bullet and hold your nerve.”
It was a season of many highlights for Greeff. When asked which stood out for him he mentioned the meeting he had seven winners and also winning the World Sports Betting East Cape Derby and the PE Gold Cup.
“But I am grateful for any winner. I am ecstatic about every race that I win. Hopefully I will never lose that feeling.”