Justin Snaith-trained Indian Hawk could be the right one
Cape trainer Justin Snaith is in the home run of the greatest season of his life. With total stakes earned of close on R19 million, he is R4,5 million ahead of Geoff Woodruff in the SA Champion trainer title race. The Western Cape is also wrapped up but there is still a local title that looks frustratingly just out of his reach down PE way.
A major contributor to the overall Snaith success story has been their Eastern Cape satellite base, which is run by Estelle Blake. They have chalked up 78 winners there for total stakes of R4,8 million this season.
While it would have sealed the fairytale, that will sadly still not give them the local title though as they are approximately R449 263 behind long entrenched local, Alan Greeff, who looks all set to lift the title for the eighth time in 19 years.
Greeff has trained 88 winners from 952 runners so far, and last season finished third behind arch rival Gavin Smith, with Snaith in second.
Justin Snaith won’t catch Alan Greeff in PE
National Pride
On the national front, Snaith has trained 186 winners from 1248 runners, while Geoff Woodruff has clocked up ‘only’ 51 winners from an relatively low 326 runners. Woodruff has obviously bagged the big ones that count.
Snaith reached the magical 198 winner mark last season to beat Geoff Woodruff’s previous record of 174 winners .
Record
Woodruff’s father-in-law Terrance Millard held the original record of 141 winners in a season, while outgoing champion Mike De Kock attained a best ever strike of 164. That was last season.
De Kock is currently on 137 winners and is in fourth position on the national table with R12,5 million stakes.
The champion title race went right down to the wire last season when De Kock pipped Sean Tarry by R350 562.
But Justin can go ahead and plan the celebrations for a week or so from now. The national title is in the bag.
Alan Greeff has wrapped the PE championship up
Eastern Cape
After Friday, there are only two meetings left in the Eastern Cape, with one feature (R150 000 Listed East Cape Paddock Stakes) programmed.
Monday’s eight-race meeting on the Polytrack will thus be of some strategic importance to the Snaith, Greeff and Smith teams. With only about 30 races left, Snaith would have to win plenty and Greeff close to none. That is not going to happen.
On Monday’s programme, Smith holds the ascendancy in numbers with 20 runners carded as opposed to Greeff’s 15 and Snaith’s 5.
In the day’s topliner, an MR 90 Divided Handicap run over a mile, Snaith saddles topweight Indian Hawk, while at the other end of the scale, Gavin Smith saddles the Sporting Post top-rated choice, Silverano.
Alan Greeff saddles the out-of-form Lord Badger, who looks to have an outside place chance at best.
Bird Of Prey
Indian Hawk is a versatile son of Black Minnaloushe, who won on debut over 1200m as a 2yo, and went on to run second in the East Cape Derby of his year. He has won 5 of 34 starts, but is yet to win on the poly in four starts.
His optimum trip has proven to be around the mile mark and while he has to lumber 63,5kgs, he has shown an ability to carry weight.
He ran a 1,25 length third carrying 61 kgs behind Political Playboy at his last start.
Dorrie Sham’s Two Gun Kid should be a decent price
Winner
Silverano has won on the poly and gets an 11kg start on the Snaith’s topweight.
He ran five lengths behind Indian Hawk at his penultimate start, in receipt of 6kgs, so comes in with bright prospects.
Dorrie Sham’s 6yo House Of Wax is a game seven-time winner who runs on well but has not quite been getting there of late.
He finished two lengths ahead of Silverano in the race won by Political Playboy and comes in with the same weight advantage.
The Shams also saddle the Cataloochee gelding Brother In Arms, who steps up to a mile for the first time in PE. He showed some ability in Gauteng and loves the polytrack.
The third of the Sham runners is Two Gun Kid, who is proving rather in and out of late.
Paddock’s Duo
Grant Paddock saddles Cannon in his first local run.
Formerly with Mike De Kock, the Silvano gelding is lightly raced with 3 wins from 15 starts.
Paddock’s Spellcaster came up to beat his more fancied stablemate Cinderfella at his last start over the course and distance, and the Jet Master gelding appears lengths better on this surface. He goes for a tenth career win.
