Richard Fourie has that winning feeling

Champion jockey Richard Fourie’s blistering form at Fairview racecourse during March has seen him overhaul his two nearest rivals as he sets about defending his title in earnest.

Bookmakers have never doubted Fourie would rise to the top again this season, cementing him firmly atop their boards from Day 1 on 1 August 2024 – and even as the man took a breather from the last term’s heroic efforts and Craig Zackey and Gavin Lerena ran up commanding leads in the winning tally.

Fourie, who before 2023/24 showed little interest in title-chasing, clearly became hooked on the great pursuit, travelling around the country and riding like a demon – and setting a new record of 378 winners that’s unlikely to be beaten soon.

One of the keys to his success was the dominant partnership he established with Eastern Cape trainer Alan Greeff.

169 wins

Over the years, many an aspirant champion has gone to the well in “Die Baai” for a steady stream of winners, but few have cleaned up quite like Fourie. Then and now.

At the four Fairview meetings so far in March, he has collected two, five, four and four victories. On Tuesday this week he had a grand total of 169 wins to his name – one ahead of Zackey and three ahead of Lerena.

The three titans come together to do battle in Joburg this weekend at Turffontein’s Champions Day meeting. Unsurprisingly, they partner some of the best bets on the 12-race card. Arguably, Fourie has the lion’s share of them.

His bookings include a ride for none other than Greeff, who stages a rare raid on Joburg with the juvenile Golden Palm in the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Nursery (Grade 2).

Fourie won on her in facile manner at Fairview three weeks ago and probably had some input into the decision to embark on the long trek upcountry; for which reason she deserves serious consideration by punters – even in the face of 18-10 shot One Fine Winter and Zackey.

Turffontein the new Fairview?

In the TAB SA Nursery, these two riders swap roles, with Fourie getting aboard hot favourite Esteemed for Mike and Mathew de Kock and Zackey linking up with Sean Tarry’s Green Diamond.

Many a pundit would say Esteemed is the best bet on the card.

But the champ’s ambitions won’t end there, with a phalanx of well-fancied partners to follow, such as Lucky Lad in the Computaform Sprint, Fire Attack in the Premier’s Champions Challenge, Legend Of Arthur in the SA Derby, Fiery Pegasus in the SA Oaks, Cosmic Speed in the Hawaii Stakes and Marauding Horde in the Caradoc Gold Cup.

Zackey and Lerena are not without firepower on the day, but they’ll have to be at their best to prevent Fourie making Turffontein look like Fairview on any given Friday.