Trainer Alan Greeff continues to produce a stream of winners at Fairview every week, and he holds a very decent hand yet again on Friday.
Golden Palm in Race 2, Powder Day in Race 3 and US Ranger in Race 4 all look hard to beat.
Golden Palm is on a recovery mission after some costly defeats this year. The Master Of My Fate filly won five of her first six starts, but it has been just over a year since her last victory, which came on 24 October 2025.
The four-year-old filly clearly did not enjoy the Polytrack in her last two starts. Although she was not beaten far on either occasion, she is clearly better than those performances suggest. Jockey Richard Fourie has stuck with her, and it is worth noting that Greeff has four of the six carded runners.
The Real Gone Kid filly Powder Day drifted in the betting on debut but still ran a cracker when finishing runner-up behind the consistent Green Point. That was on the Polytrack, and she did good work in the closing stages. Trying the grass this time, she can go one place better.
US Ranger has not always shown his best side, but he has won four of his seven starts so far. Returning from a break during which he was gelded, he was an impressive winner over 1000m on the Polytrack.
The operation has clearly worked a treat. Although he was slowly away, he made up ground quickly and drew right away at the finish, beating the speedy filly Danish Dynamite.
He takes on even tougher rivals this time around, including his stable companion, the 13-time winner Fairy Knight. He will also need to fend off a likely late challenge from Astronomical Boy. That Dean Smith-trained rival quickened nicely when winning over this course and distance in his penultimate start, and his latest run on the Polytrack can safely be ignored.
Another runner in the race who could surprise after disappointing twice on the Polytrack is Mount Pilatus. He is talented and at his best over this distance.
Clive Robinson
