Smith in Cruise Control

As is so often the case, trainer Gavin Smith has a full array of runners at Fairview on Tuesday when they race on the Polytrack.

As is the norm for the current local champion trainer, he has 16 runners carded for this meeting and is expected to have a really good day. Heading up the card is Race 5, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1000m and Smith saddles Cruise Control.

The Querari gelding has won eight of his 14 starts and is in as good a shape as he has ever been.

The four-year-old gelding was unlucky not to win his latest which was over 1200m on the turf where he made most of the running and was still clear until very late and was only grabbed just short of the post by rival in this race Evies First.

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Cruise Control has always been at his very best over the 1000m and jockey Louie Mxothwa has won aboard him and replaces JP van der Merwe this time. It is also worth noting that Cruise Control has won his last two starts over this course and distance.

Rival trainer Alan Greeff sends out four-year-old Cliff Top and this runner has beaten Cruise Control a couple of times but has been disappointing of late.

Calvin Habib travels to Fairview and has a full card of rides, all for Smith. The best of the lot looks to be Duellona in Race 3, a Maiden Plate for fillies and mares over 1600m.

This daughter of Fire Away made her Gqeberha debut last month over this course and distance in which she led for most of the journey, only to get caught on the line by Sky Velocity. She is expected to improve on that performance and can get the Pick 6 off to a good start for punters.

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