Hollywoodbets-sponsored East Cape Champion trainer Gavin Smith reached the season’s 50 winner mark and capped a terrific four-timer at Fairview on Friday when substitute rider Muzi Yeni rode a beautifully judged race to win the R175 000 Founders Trophy, contested over a mile on the all-weather track.
After his topweighted favourite stablemate Global Drummer had made the pace and probably failed to see out the mile, Yeni produced the 6-1 Ferrari Ice late in the race with his customary burst.
Muzi Yeni keeps Ferrari Ice at his task as Richard Fouire moves up strongly on Grazinginthegrass (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Despite Richard Fourie bearing down menacingly on the fast-finishing Grazinginthegrass (7-2), Ferrari Ice made it five winners in Gqeberha for 2022 when he held on courageously to win by half a length in a time of 94,99 secs.
The runner-up’s stablemate Bold Resolve (7-2) earned again in third, ahead of the tiring Global Drummer in fourth.
A son of Querari (Oasis Dream), the winner is out of the unraced Spectrum mare Summer Ice and is bred and raced by the Meaker family, longstanding supporters of racing in South Africa.
Ferrari Ice has hardly put a foot wrong since relocating to the Eastern Cape from KZN a year ago. He has won 7 races with 9 places from 28 starts for stakes of R513 387.
Watch the replay here:
Muzi Yeni and Richard Fourie shared the riding honours on the day with a double apiece.
The next Eastern Cape racemeeting is on the public holiday, Friday 16 December.
