Clive Robinson
Trainer Alan Greeff has a strong hand in this year’s running of the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Polytrack Challenge with three of the 11 runners carded and he has bagged the services of top jockeys Richard Fourie and S’manga Khumalo to ride his decent sprinters Inherit The Rain and Whatever Next.
Inherit The Rain is hat-trick seeking and is coming off a courageous win when downing Eastern Cape champion sprinter Global Drummer last time out over this course and distance (Fairview Polytrack 1200m) when ridden by Khumalo so could be the stable elect.
Whatever Next, a former East Cape Champion Juvenile struggled to find his best form as a three-year-old but the fitting of blinkers two starts ago seemed to do the trick and he was a nice winner over the very consistent Evies First.
Whatever Next quickened nicely but found Western Cape raider Barzelona a bit better on the turf last time.
The What A Winter gelding has won twice in three starts on this surface and current rider Fourie has ridden him to a win back in May 2021.
The biggest threat to the Greeff runners is likely to come from Pleasedtomeetyou.
This recent recruit to the Juan Nel yard was well backed when scoring on the Polytrack last time.
He saw his rivals off comfortably that time and should come on from that run. Greenlighttoheaven and Jeans Man were not too far behind Pleasedtomeetyou so are not without a winning chance.
The surprise package of the race though could be Captain Morisco.
This Captain Of All gelding was caught out of his ground on his Polytrack debut but was flying at the finish and he clearly liked the surface.
Earlier on the card it is probably worth giving two other Greeff runners a bet.
Rhythm Of The Rain has been very costly to follow and we need to ignore her last run but if running up to her best form she will prove hard to beat in Race 1.
Jockey Khumalo was seen to excellent effect on Bold Resolve last time out and the way he won suggested he has another win or two in the tank and could take out a competitive Race 5.
