Fairview braces for a Snaith whirlwind

Justin Snaith didn’t have the Durban July day he’d hoped for, but he can get a small measure of compensation by dominating Friday’s Fairview turf track fixture down the east coast.

The champion trainer-in-waiting has at least one runner in each of the nine races and all have strong winning claims. Indeed, bookmaker World Sports Betting chalked up Snaith runners at the top of the ante-post boards in seven of the races, with the two others topped by fellow raider from Cape Town Candice Bass-Robinson – and Snaith horses in the second slot.

Could the young maestro score a clean sweep on the day? Maybe. PE racing can throw up interesting things.

Snaith has recruited locally domiciled jockey Francois Herholdt to partner all these fancied runners and the well-travelled lightweight rider certainly has the strength, experience and ability to do a good job.

The shortest-priced Snaith hope – at 12-10 – is Somerset Maugham in Race 6, a Graduation Plate over 1600m. The three-year-old son of Trippi has two wins and eight placings from 11 runs in Cape Town – a record good enough to herald a win at Fairview.

The second favourite here is Gavin Smith-trained Storm Commander at 8-1, which seems generous, though one cannot see the stout-hearted gelding getting the better of the visitor.

The Snaith-Herholdt duo are likely to kick off their predicted winning spree in the first, a Maiden Juvenile Plate over 1200m, with Coffee Break who was narrowly beaten into second place at Kenilworth last time when still showing signs of greenness in his second outing.

A quick double could come courtesy of Queen Of Shadows in the second, an MJP for fillies.

The third and fourth are where Bass-Robinson could elbow her way in, with Bel Punto and On Your Marks respectively.

The locals might get a look in in Race 5 with Gavin Smith’s Master Supreme, Cliffie Miller’s Heartbreak Hotel and Jacques Strydom’s Super Noir all trying to assert East Cape racing’s reputation for good stayers in a 2000m Pinnacle Stakes. But Snaith’s Love Happens is lurking.

The last three races could see yet more money flowing westwards with Casino Queen, Danilo Danilovitch and Aye Aye all lined up to win.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

1 Cashing In, 2 Coffee Break, 3 Crystal City, 7 What A Bolt

Race 2:

6 Queen Of Shadows, 5 Ladonna Mia, 9 Siever’s Point, 11 Trip To Ireland

Race 3:

1 Bel Punto, 11 Wind Sock, 2 Jaspero, 5 Red Bishop

Race 4:

1 On Your Marks, 3 Hukum, Kings Fort, 8 Serious Fun

Race 5:

6 Master Supreme, 5 Heartbreak Hotel, 1 Love Happens, 8 Super Noir

Race 6:

1 Somerset Maugham, 3 Storm Commander, 2 Blingking, 7 Al Palak

Race 7:

8 Casino Queen, 4 What A Winner, 1 Gin Fizz, 3 Sugar Gum

Race 8:

1 Regimental, 5 Danilo Danilovitch, 2 Stranger Danger, 7 Cruzador

Race 9:

1 Aye Aye, 3 Shine A Light, 11 Elusive Jaid, 9 Mesmerising Moon

Pick 6:

1,2,3 x 1,5,6,8 x 1,3 x 1,3,4,7 x 1,2,5 x 1,3,13 (R864)

PA:

1,2,11 x 1 x 1,5,6 x 1 x 4,8 x 1,5 x 1 (R36)