Picture: Jack In The Green (nearest) gives Richard Fourie a treble and Alan Greeff a double in a thrilling finish in the seventh race. (Pauline Herman Photography).
The sixth race at the Fairview Poly meeting on Tuesday had to be abandoned after a series of incidents which ultimately resulted in some of the jockeys not hearing the siren for the false start and completing the distance.
The last horse to be loaded was the favourite Greenlight Legend and as the gates were closed behind him the assistant starter raised the white flag from behind the stalls to signal to the starter that all of the runners, from his perspective, were installed and ready to jump.
However, almost as soon as the gates had been closed behind him, Greenlight Legend kicked the gates open again and backed out.
However, the assistant starter’s flag was already on the way up.
He dropped the flag after the horse had backed out, but the starter had already taken the raised flag as the all clear signal and pressed the button.
The rest of the field jumped and began racing.
The starter realised the situation and set the siren off to recall the runners.
However, only a few of the jockeys heard the siren and the rest completed the distance.
The stipendiary stewards had the option to either re-run the race or declare the race a “no race” and abandon it.
Obviously it had to be abandoned with the majority of the field having raced to the end.
If any blame could be apportioned it was that the white flag was raised a touch too soon as the gates behind Greenlight Legend were only actually closed for a split second.
Greenlight Legend was out to give Richard Fourie a third winner at the meeting and Alan Greeff a second winner.
Fourie and Greeff did win the next race to end up with a treble and double respectively.
Zietsman Oosthuizen, whose horse won the no race, did have a good day anyway as he scored a double, both of them ridden by Nirvan Nastili.
There was also a double for Gavin Smith.
Fourie made up a nett two wins on national log leader Craig Zackey, who rode a single winner.
Zackey is now on 195 wins for the season achieved at a strike rate of 18.88%.
Fourie had a four-timer at Fairview last Friday and a single winner at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Monday, so he has closed the gap on Zackey to nine wins.
He is on 186 wins at 26.27%.
Gavin Lerena has not surprisingly decided to appeal his suspension from the Jason Gates whipping incident. This was expected as he is in contention for the title and the appeal process in SA allows riders to delay their suspension until after the season has ended.
Lerena is on 179 wins at 25.98%.
Nastili is on 13 wins at 7.65%.
Greeff, who also had a four-timer last Friday, is on 130 wins at 18.31%.
Smith is on 92 wins at 12.80%.
