Picture: Alan Greeff with Golden Palm after winning the Gr 2 SA Nursery (JC Photos)
David Mollett
So – with three-quarters of the season completed – who rates as the big “Achiever” for the 2024/25 campaign?
Justin Snaith has to be on the shortlist – as rather like Liverpool in the Premier League – he has had the trainers title sewn up for some time. He is close to a staggering R11 million clear of his nearest rival on the official log, Sean Tarry, and he is more than R11m clear of nearest rival Vaughan Marshall if restricted race stakes are included.
But, no, my vote for the season’s “Achiever” with three months remaining is Eastern Cape trainer, Alan Greeff.
Here are some facts this term about the 54 year-old trainer:
* He is currently in third spot on the official trainers championship log, which is some achievement for a stable in a minor centre.
* Alan’s has saddled more winners (132) than Justin Snaith (131) and his striker rate of winners to runners (17.96%) is superior to the reigning SA champion (14.75%).
* Earnings of R11,449,456.25 are outstanding considering prize money in the Eastern Cape is not on a par with other provinces.
One of the plus factors about the Greeff stable is that Alan is not scared to raid the major centres (he won the Gr 2 SA Fillies Nuresry at Turffontein this season and has also won a Gr 3 two-year-old event at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth) if he believes he has a horse which will hold its own against strong opposition.
His CV includes a Gold Cup win with Cereus (2001) and Golden Slipper victory with Lady Tattler. He seems sure to have pencilled in a KZN raid with East Cape Nursery winner, Direct Hit.
When his father, Stanley Greeff, passed away in August 2010, Alan knew he had big boots to fill. Stanley passed away on the same day as another renowned PE trainer, Nic Claassen.
I was lucky enough to know both Stanley and Nic well – particularly the latter who used to train at the Vaal and landed a number of coups, notably with his juveniles.
Commenting on Stanley’s passing, former champion breeder, Mick Goss, said “He was a dyed in the wool horseman if ever there was one.”
Here are some of Stanley’s career achievements:
* Granted his licence in 1952, he won the trainers championship in 1980.
* In June 1986 he saddled six winners at Fairview all ridden by Gavin Venter. The jockey commented that he rated Stanley as “the best trainer of fillies and mares in the country.”
* In November 1996, Stanley bettered Terrence Millard’s record of 257 wins in a season.
* The Greeff stable is named “Halo” stables after the filly’s outstanding 10 wins in 1980. She was a major contributor to Stanley’s title win.
Alan benefited from his time with Terrence and Tony Millard – they gave him the grounding to take the first steps to a successful career in racing.
Alan clearly has a good rapport with the two excellent on-course Fairview presenters (Neil and Nadine), and what is so important to punters is knowing when a horse is unlikely to win due to not working well or going that might not suit them.
Justin Snaith is equally forthcoming in the Cape, but that’s not the case with several trainers in Gauteng and KZN. Asked whether they can help punters with any other runners on the card, the usual reply is “we’ve got chances and hope for another win.”
This is why the input of presenters and tipsters is so important. At Turffontein last Saturday I was lining up a punt on Jingleberry until Neil Andrews commented that he wasn’t happy about how the filly had gone to post.
I also rated Longsword a bet in the ninth race until Darryl Maree commented on “Weighted To Win” that he wasn’t considering the Sean Tarry inmate as the soft going wouldn’t suit the four year old.
Of course, for Alan to have the services of champion jockey, Richard Fourie, riding for you every week at Fairview is a huge factor in the stable’s success. It’s like a football team having Harry Kane as a regular in your team.
While Alan’s quote in a Sporting Life article that “hard work never killed anyone” sounds like it might have come from Gary Player, its full marks to the PE trainer as his hard work has certainly paid off in the first nine months of the season.
A gentleman close to Alan Greeff in the “Achievers” department this term is owner-breeder, Gerald Sadleir. Not in his wildest dreams could Gerald have expected the heights his home-bred filly, Olivia’s Way, would reach this season.
After Olivia’s Way win in the Gr 2 TAB Igugu Stakes at Turffontein, Gerald was described in one report as “charismatic”, but I was pretty good at English Literature at school and have come up with a better word.
That word is “ebullient” and Collins Dictionary describes it as someone “bubbling over with enthusiasm”. That is Gerald Sadleir to a T.
Gerald loves to take on the bookies – he often places bets on UK races – and he has plenty of ammunition as Olivia’s Way career earnings stand at R839 500. The first prize in the TAB Igugu Stakes was R218 750.
In his most recent tearful post-race interview (I’ve only seen him cry when the waiter has brought the bill at one of his famous lunches), Gerald correctly praised trainer Roy Magner for his filly’s rise up the ranks. On the first day of the season Gavin Lerena rode her in a 74 handicap!
Roy is such an excellent horseman that he seems to trot out good winners season after season and the three-times Zimbabwean champion trainer says Olivia’s Way will be nominated for the Hollywoodbets Durban July on July 5.
Imagine if Olivia’s Way follows in Igugu’s steps and emerges victorious. Gerald Sadleir’s post-race party wouldn’t go on all night, it would go on for a week!
