It is back to Polytrack racing at Fairview for a couple of meetings ,but we have some nice races to look forward to on Friday.
Trainer Alan Greeff has a very strong hand in the feature race of the day, Race 7, the Nelson Mandela Bay Polytrack Challenge over 1200m.
His rivals will struggle to beat his two stable stars, Cliff Top and Port Louis, but will also have to deal with Inherit The Rain and Whatever Next for the stake money as well.
Cliff Top has not always been easy to catch right, but he is fit and in very good form. His performances on the Polytrack are out of the top draw and he has been at his very best around this 1200m mark. And with Richard Fourie in the irons, he is likely to go down as the likely favourite for the race.
Port Louis was in good form for trainer Brett Crawford and is likely to be just as good, if not even better, for Greeff.
Port Louis has been best around 1400m so far and he ran well when runner-up behind Perfection on the Polytrack in March over 1600m so has no issues with the surface.
His draw of No 11 is a concern but he may as well chance his arm and attempt start to finish tactics to pull off this race.
Inherit The Rain has been consistent without winning of late and will be doing his best work late, but he has a task ahead of him to beat his stable companions. Whatever Next has been disappointing this year but there is always another win in the tank for these types of runners and he is not out of it.
Two runners out at the weights and unexposed on this surface but could surprise are Gallic Tribe and Transact.
Gallic Tribe has improved in his new yard and quickened up very nicely when winning last time out.
Transact was not disgraced when third in his first taste of Polytrack racing and should be smarter this time.
There are some nice races earlier on the card and we get to see Quasimodo, Cherry Ano and Bush Tracker take on one another in Race 6, a Pinnacle Stakes over 1800m. Quasimodo has been a revelation of late and could still be underrated by the handicapper.
This 1800m is short of his very best so he may have to pay second fiddle to ultra-consistent Cherry Ano.
This Gavin Smith-trained gelding has been on the boil all year, picking up four wins in just eight starts with three runner-up runs as well.
There was only a length between Cherry Ano and Quasimodo when they met in the East Cape Derby and the weights remain the same so there should be very little between them again.
Quasimodo is improving but Cherry Ano will be at his best this distance.
Bush Tracker has beaten Cherry Ano but that was over 1600m on the turf and Bush Tracker is not certain to be as good this time over 1800m on the Polytrack.
We all need winners and two likely winners earlier on the card are Painite in Race 2 and Public Benefit in Race 4.
Both are improving and should win.
Clive Robinson
