The Port Elizabeth trainers are getting strong support out of Australia in their bid to break the winning drought in the Listed World Sports Betting East Cape Derby writes Henk Steenkamp.
Mitch Wiese says he will be more than happy not to be the last PE trainer to win the Derby anymore.

"My wish is that a PE trainer wins the Derby today at Fairview. They deserve it," Wiese said from Melbourne.
Wiese won the Derby way back in 2009 with Lizard's Desire. S'mango Khumalo was in the saddle.

The EC Derby was still a grade 3 race then and the meeting was held at the Arlington track which is no more in use.
Since the Wiese victory the Cape Town raiders have dominated the EC Derby.

Today only two Cape Town horses, August Leaves and Miss La Dee Da, will be at Fairview.

"The Cape Town raiders will again be a factor. Their record in the Derby speaks for itself," Wiese said.

He added that Lizard's Desire was a special horse. "He went on to run second in the Dubai World Cup and won the Singapore Airline International Cup."

Wiese was saddened to hear that PE trainer Desmond McLachlan passed away earlier this week.

"Mister Mac was really helpful to me when I started out in PE. My sincere condolences to his family."

Wiese retired at the end of 2015 after a successful career in PE and now resides in Melbourne.
 

Henk Steenkamp