It was a case of champagne déjà vu for trainer Juan Nel and one of his foundation gallopers Evie’s First when the 7yo Jay Peg gelding successfully defended his Fairview Merchants crown at the Gqeberha racecourse on Friday.
The Heuningsfontein-sponsored Yuzae Ramzan, who enjoys a 50% win strike-rate on Evie’s First, was again the man in the irons as he was a year ago when the Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud product beat Firealley to win the 2024 renewal.
Evie’s First (Yuzae Ramzan) wins the Fairview Merchants for the second year running (Pic – Pauline Herman)
In fact, the only difference on Friday, bar the reality that we are all a year older, is that Evie’s First went off at 40-1, as opposed to the 20-1 of his win last year!
Always in the firing line, Evie’s First (40-1) stuck relentlessly to his task and repelled a solid challenge from Khaya’s Hope (10-1) in the final stages to win by a neck in a time of 67,86 secs for the straight 1200m.
Kelly Mitchley’s Anuschka’s World (5-2) maintained his consistency with a solid effort in third.
Trainer Juan Nel thanked his former colleague Yvette Bremner for sourcing Evie’s First, one of the former jockey’s foundation equine residents.
The Hemel ‘n Aarde Stud bred galloper is by Jay Peg (Camden Park) out of Rock Of Rochelle’s daughter, Evies Rock. Not exactly bred in the purple, but he has been rock solid, his 7 wins and 22 places coming from 43 starts and earnings of R767 950.
The next Fairview racemeeting is on Friday 31 January, when the Lakeside Handicap heads the card.
