Eastern Cape plays part in racing 'Oscars'

THE Eastern Cape had lots to be proud about when the Night of the Oscars in South African horse racing was held this week at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg.

The East Cape did not win one of the big awards for the past season but played a significant role in some of them. Two of these awards are that of champion trainer and owner.

The country's new champion trainer is Justin Snaith and Markus and Ingrid Jooste walked away with the owners' title yet again.

Snaith is based in Cape Town and in his winning speech he pointed out that it was not easy to beat the strong Gauteng stables for the national trainers' title.

He recognised that his satellite yard in Port Elizabeth played a significant role in this achievement. There were 84 Snaith winners in Port Elizabeth in the past season which went a long way in securing the title for Snaith.

Markus Jooste is another one who knows what PE can do in helping him stay the champion owner. He was unable to attend the awards evening but a video with his comments was shown at the venue.

Jooste pointed out that PE trainer Tara Laing was doing a tremendous job in training his horses in the Friendly City.

The 45 PE winners had a huge impact and Jooste remarked in that strange accent (for a successful international businessman) that Laing was a champion trainer in her own right.

No doubt on hearing this in PE, Laing had something nice to say in her Scottish accent that could match the rolling of the r's by Jooste.

The East Cape will have its own awards evening on September 6 at Fairview where it will become even more clear that racing in the province is on the up.

It was a very competitive PE season and it should be interesting to see who wins the various awards.

We are already well into the current season and so far it has not been easy for punters to find the winners at Fairview.

Today it is yet again a very competitive meeting on the polytrack.

Punters' Pal tips for Fairview:

PA (R324)

1/1-2/1-3-4/5-6/1-3-5/3-11-12/1-4-6

PICK 6 (R2304)

1-2/1-3-4-7/5-6-8/1-2-3-5/3-8-11-12-13-

15/1-2-4-6

- Punters' Pal