Richard Fourie stepped into the shoes of the suspended local champion Greg Cheyne at Fairview on Friday and booted home three winners, including a thriller aboard new local star 2yo Whatever Next in the R85 000 Listed Dahlia Plate.
Fourie narrowly missed a four-timer on the day when pipped by his stablemate Waldorf Astoria, ridden by Charles Ndlovu, in the final race. At least Alan Greeff ended the afternoon with four winners.
But Cape Town’s most hardworking fisherman will be satisfied with his haul, which takes him to 102 winners, and a relatively modest position – for his ability – of 8th on the national log.
Richard Fourie drives Whatever Next up to beat Lyle Hewitson on the luckless Norton Sound (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Interestingly, Fourie rides at Kenilworth on Saturday, Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday, Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday, and then Durbanville on Wednesday. Not a bad work rate!
The West Coaster was at his brilliant best in the Fairview feature on the hat-trick seeking Whatever Next (12-10). The East Cape Nursery winner looked beaten before rallying late to peg back Lyle Hewitson and Norton Sound (16-10) by a nose in a time of 71, 46 secs, in a repeat of the Nursery result.
Fourie said it was a pleasure to come to PE and ride quality horses.
“Both the top two are good horses – Lyle (Hewitson) got first run on me but Whatever Next gave me everything,” he added.
Winning trainer Alan Greeff was just as magnanimous, suggesting that ‘unfortunately there had to be a loser.’
“We have to take our hats off to the runner-up,” he added.
Winning part- owner Anthony Williams appeared quite taken aback and proudly said that he had picked both this winner and last year’s Dahlia runner-up, and promising colt, Foreign Source.
“Well done to Alec Foster for breeding such a smart horse. Well done to Julia Pilbeam at Soetendal. Well done to Allan Greeff. And our jockey – Richard Fourie – you are a champion! We will have you up anytime!” said Mr Williams, who added that he was off to celebrate – or even calm his frayed nerves – with some iced tea.
Whatever Next took his earnings to R137 000 with his third win from four starts.
The son of Equus Champion What A Winter was a R100 000 buy from the 2020 CTS Ready To Run Sale. He is out of the Captain Al mare Petala.
Whatever Next is the second son of What A Winter to win the East Cape Nursery – Fort Winter having scored in 2017.
- The next Fairview racemeeting is on Tuesday 25 May.
