Fairview key to Fourie’s goal
COURSE PROVING A HAPPY HUNTING GROUND FOR RECORD-CHASING JOCKEY Marquez to set the ball rolling again.
Richard Fourie continues smoothly on his quest to not only be champion jockey, which is already in the bag, but is also well on his way to breaking Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 for the most winners ridden in a season.
At the time of writing, he was sitting on 292 winners, which means he needs another 43 to break that record with around to-and-a-half months remaining in the season.
If he does achieve that goal, a bottle (or maybe a magnum) of expensive French champagne deserves to go the way of Eastern Cape trainer Alan Greeff who has unwaveringly supported Fourie this season.
Going into tomorrow’s meeting on the Fairview Polytrack, Fourie has ridden 94 winners in the province which accounts for 31.8% of his tally. Interestingly, the best province so far this season for Fourie has been KwaZulu-Natal where he has brought home 97, with 72 in the Western Cape and 30 on the Highveld.
As is the case at most meetings in the Eastern Cape Fourie has a full card of rides, all for Greeff, tomorrow and a number of them have winning hopes. He could kick off in Race 2 where he rides Marquez, a recent addition to the Greeff yard.
The four-year-old son of Rafeef comes from Mike de Kock and officially joined the Greeff yard on 11 March. His last start was at Turffontein on 4 November last year and he performed well enough to finish a 1.10-length second behind Walled Garden.
He ran in blinkers for the first time on that occasion and please note that while Marquez was not originally carded to run in blinkers, that has now changed and Greeff has now declared his charge will have them fitted.
He will contest a Maiden Plate over 1200m and if not in need of the run this gelding will be hard to beat. Obviously, this will be his first race on the Polytrack but no doubt Greeff will have given his Marquez a workout on the surface.
Another of Fourie’s rides to catch the eye is Gideon's Daughter in Race 5, a MR 76 Handicap for fillies and mares over 1900m.
This daughter of Skitt Skizzle proved costly to follow earlier in her career but see is getting better and stronger since upped in distance.
The three-year-old has won twice in nine starts with both wins coming on the Polytrack.
Gideon’s Daughter was impressive with back-to-back victories in December/January over 1600m and has held her form well since then.
She was entered for the East Cape Derby last Friday so picking this race instead could add another feather in the cap for Greeff.
A race earlier, unreliable Meet at the windsor could go close to winning for the Fourie-Greeff combination in this Classified Stakes over 1600m.
The Pomodoro gelding has been at very best on the turf but is distance-suited and did enough in his effort on the surface on 12 March when a fast-finishing fourth to suggest he can win on the Polytrack.
Gavin Smith also continues to have a steady stream of winners and Queen Of Jazz in Race 1, Gimme's Laddie in Race 7 and Globetonic in Race 8 should all run decent races.
Queen Of Jazz performed well in first-time blinkers last time and was touched off by Reunion Hotspot on the post over 1400m, the distance of this evet, on the Polytrack. Craig Zackey takes the ride and she will be tough to beat this time.
Gimme's Laddie, also with Zackey up, won on local debut on the Polytrack. It was only his second run since being gelded so a three-point penalty may not be enough to stop him.
Globetonic is not easy to catch right but it could be time for him to pop up again.
The Great Britain gelding has won four of his 16 starts and most of those at fair prices.
Jockey Louie Mxothwa has a decent strike rate with Smith and won on Globetonic the only time he rode him.
He should be a decent price and is worth an each-way bet.