Alan Greeff wrapped up the East Cape Champion Trainer title and celebrated a rare feature title defence in the same season as his Soft Falling Rain gelding Marmara Sea won the R100 000 Listed Memorial Mile at Fairview on Friday.
Ridgemont Highlands’ East Cape Champion jockey Greg Cheyne rode a thinking man’s race as he adapted his regular ‘sleep and fly’ all-weather tactics on the gutsy Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred gelding, who won the same race in December of the covid-impacted 2020.
Greg Cheyne rides a cracker to get Marmara Sea home ahead of Cape raider Majestic Mozart (Robert Khathi) in an exciting finish (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Cheyne, who was crowned East Cape Champion jockey, rode a bold race as he edged forward before the field hit the home straight, in sharp contrast to Marmara Sea’s polytrack convention.
With Jaeger Moon doggedly plugging away out front, Marmara Sea bravely soldiered on in a field that included a few decent sorts from the Cape.
Into the final stages it was clear that the tenth career victory was on and Marmara Sea (9-2) powered on gamely to thwart a late challenge from Majestic Mozart (6-1) to win by 0,25 lengths in a time of 99,49 secs.
Eric Sands’ Captain Flinders (9-2) was a half length back in third.
This was the former well-tried Mike de Kock maiden’s first win on turf and his overall tenth victory with 6 places from his 19 starts.
Marmara Sea has banked over R404 000.
Trainer Alan Greeff seemed surprised by a horse that was deemed a poly specialist – probably by virtue of the fact that he achieved an eight win sequence on the all-weather!
Racing for veteran owners Michael Javett and Mary Slack, the son of deceased Soft Falling Rain (National Assembly) is a first foal of the Australian-bred Alboran Sea, who raced for the same Slack-Javett partnership.
Alboran Sea (Rock Of Gibraltar) raced only 10 times for five wins and four places, amassing stake earnings of over R2-million. She won the Gr1 Cape Flying Chamionship and the Gr1 Computaform Sprint in one season.
Alan Greeff finished the season with 143 winners, versus Gavin Smith’s 135.
