Go with Gavin Smith’s newbies at Fairview

New blood is constantly being pumped into East Cape racing, thanks to its position as the gateway to the great “second chance”. Gavin Smith, a Fairview trainer with a brilliant record of turning around the fortunes of horses from other centres, gets a chance to show off this wizardry with a clutch of new recruits on Monday.

Smith and jockey Lyle Hewitson are likely to have a good day with the debutants on the Polytrack and should kick it off with Giggle And A Talk in Race 1, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1200m.

This juvenile transfers from Mike Miller in KwaZulu-Natal after just three outings, the latest being a promising third place. The daughter of Querari must beat a bunch of her elders but does look the most progressive runner. Also, she gets a 3kg weight advantage and jumps from an inside draw on the right-hand bend.

The Smith-Hewitson team are also a compelling bet in Race 3 with Storm Commander, who was heavily fancied to win last time in his first run at Fairview after moving down from Candice Dawson’s Joburg stables.

Then, in Race 4, another ex-Miller charge, Diamonds And Toads, goes for Smith. A typical “ATM”, with 10 places in her 13 KZN outings, the filly should be trusted to finally bust the no-win jinx.

Sacred Ibis already has two Durban victories to her name for Garth Puller, but the last one was 528 days ago and a switch to new surroundings might be just the fillip she needs to get that elusive third win.

Good KZN form is often a pointer to a winning start in PE and Sacred Ibis brings a record of admirable consistency into Race 5, an FM67 Handicap over 1900m. She is clearly fit and raring to go for Smith and Hewitson.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

9 Giggle And A Talk, 1 Keara, 3 Showtime Baby, 5 Shahidi

Race 2:

1 Prince Alf, 4 Big Splash, 2 Hikaru, 3 Chicago West

Race 3:

5 Storm Commander, 2 Duke Of Cards, 6 Phil’s Power, 1 Thomas Tucker

Race 4:

1 Diamonds And Toads, 3 Cianna, 2 Red Rules, 4 Offsides

Race 5:

4 Sacred Ibis, 11 La Bastide, 7 La Duchesse, 1 Malteza

Race 6:

6 Fresh From The US, 4 Imperious Duke, 2 Ninjinsky’s Son, 5 Full Score

Race 7:

5 Mesmerizing Moon, 8 Forward March, 4 Forest Field, 3 Makara

Race 8:

14 Spanish Fort, 3 Teofilio, 12 Mousey On Over, 9 I Love Mambo

Pick 6:

2,5 x 1,2,3 x 1,4,7,9,11 x 2,4,5,6,8,9 x 5 x 3,6,9,11, 12,14 (R1080)

PA:

1,4 x 5 x 1,3 x 4,7,11 x 2,4,6 x 5 x 3,14 (R72)