Hoedspruit goes from Cape Town to Gqeberha for Algoa

It’s not so much a raid as an invasion as Cape Town-based horses descend on Fairview racecourse on Friday for one of Eastern Cape’s biggest race days. The Algoa Cup and Racing Association Stakes, both Listed events, and two other feature races are in the sights of stables from the southwest.

All of Justin Snaith, Candice Bass-Robinson, Glen Kotzen, Brett Crawford, Vaughan Marshall and Andre Nel are trainers sending horses on the long road up the coast in hopes of carrying off prizes and black type.

The 2000m Algoa Cup, Race 7 on the programme, has seven visitors in the line up of 16 and they look poised to grab the lion’s share of the R200,000 purse.

Champion trainer Snaith means business with his high-class attack of Hoedspruit and Bayberry, two horses that have competed near the very top of national competition. They’re both in excellent nick and supporters could hardly ask for better jockeys than Richard Fourie and Bernard Fayd’Herbe.

Kotzen fields three – Crimson King, Cat Daddy and Musical Glitch – all bristling with good form, while Crawford’s Super Silvano would not be a surprise winner either.

The PE challenge includes the extraordinary Marmara Sea, a winner of 11 of 20 starts who is aiming for a four-timer. Local champion Alan Greeff tries the five-year-old gelding over 2000m for the first time, which his pedigree suggests he should handle with ease.

The Fairview gang has a much stronger hand in the other Listed contest, the 1600m RA Stakes for three-year-olds; Race 6.

Gavin Smith saddles the formidable duo of Peace In Our World and Norton Sound and there is little to choose between them on collateral form.

Snaith’s Captain’s Knot and Kotzen’s Never Ending Rain might have to settle for minor money.

These West versus East scraps at Fairview are never easy to fathom, but Race 8 offers puzzled punters some respite. Fairview’s undisputed “queen”, Santa Theresa, goes for her seventh win on the trot and eighth overall from 10 starts. She is hard to oppose, but ultra-competitive Snaith is having a go with ultra-consistent Veronica Mars.

It’s a compelling day of racing in the Windy City.

SELECTIONS

Race 1:

7 Jet Mirage, 5 Don Reposado, 15 Rock Garden, 6 Cashing In

Race 2:

1 Double Check, 3 Grayswood Pink, 6 Silver Slippers, 2 Drive By

Race 3:

3 Saint West, 1 Grazinginthegrass, 2 Sabina’s Prodigy, 6 Cairon

Race 4:

1 Global Drummer, 5 Mr Cobbs, 9 Mister Vargus, 7 Regimental

Race 5:

2 Swazi Queen, 1 Colorado Springs, 4 Miss Orange, 5 Bold Diva

Race 6:

1 Peace In Our World, 2 Norton Sound, 7 Never Ending Rain, 3 Captain’s Knot

Race 7:

4 Hoedspruit, 5 Bayberry, 8 Aranjuez, 11 Master Supreme

Race 8:

2 Santa Theresa, 5 Veronica Mars, 3 Bloom, 1 Carioca

Race 9:

2 Arctic Drift, 9 Knights Templar, 12 Moon Game, 4 Blingking

Pick 6:

1 x 1,2,3,4,5,9,12 x 1,2,3,6,7,8 x 2,3,4,5,6,8,11 x 2 x 2,4,5,8,9,12 (R1764)

PA:

1,2,3 x 1 x 1,2 x 1,2 x 4,5,8 x 2 x 2 (R36)