Poly Principles
Monday 13 July, 2026Sunday racing was on the Polytrack at Greyville. The surface plays differently to regular turf racing where, most often, finishing speed carries the day.
What works best on the Poly are stalk and pounce tactics. Obviously, there are variations, even occasional extremes to that style, but generally racing handy at a sustained gallop then keeping going without decelerating too sharply, gets the job done.
There were three notable winning performances: Powerandtheglory s/s 95 ++, Position of Power s/s 98 + and Billy Cool s/s 97.
Powerandtheglory was badly blocked and had to come round horses then go and fetch Maphaka s/s 94, a task he performed willingly. He has oodles of talent, witness an excellent run to Snaith Racing stablemate, Snow Pilot, when he earned an eye-popping figure of 107 in January 2026.
He may only be a three- time winner, and his career has been interrupted a few times, so probably has some soundness issues, but he is definitely worth following when fit and well.
Position of Power s/s 98 +, (has run 102 at best) was backed into odds on, as if there was no settling, and got the job done under Keagan de Melo. He has now won half his 12 starts and won’t be stopping here given his versatility (he goes fine on either poly or the weeds) and natural ability.
Trainer Ricky Maingard has recently been on the tear with his string in Durban. Billy Cool s/s 97 added to his tally when sauntering to victory in a low-level sprint.
The ease of his victory, and smart figure after adjusting for the track variant, suggests he will be up to beating stronger rivals even off a raised official merit rating.
It was a fine training feat to bring Billy Cool back after an eight-month break to win first up. Maingard is an accomplished horseman who knows his charges inside out and places them astutely, too. He may be nearing retirement age and doesn’t have the patronage or buying power of the top yards, but he remains a dab hand at getting the best out of thoroughbreds in his care.
Old timers will remember his exploits with the mighty Wolf Power. Maingard turned the course record shattering grey into a true champion during the 80’s!
