Classy field lines up for Leg 1 of Poly Challenge

The Nelson Mandela Bay East Coast Poly Challenge begins at Fairview today and the first leg of the three-race Non-Black Type event will be run over 1200m.

- Jack Milner

Last year produced the first winner of the Challenge as Glen Kotzen-trained King Regent came away with victories in all three legs, over 1200m, 1400m and 1600m respectively.

Only seven runners are carded for the first leg of the Poly Challenge, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in in-form runners. Fairy Knight had such a good season that trainer Alan Greeff and stable jockey Richard Fourie took a shot at the Grade 1 Golden Horseshoe over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 31 May.

He did not handle the soft track and was well beaten, his first defeat since the addition of blinkers.