CAPE Town riding ranks will be considerably strengthened with the return, after four years in the East, of Greg Cheyne. Though also available for rides from other trainers, he is aligning himself closely with the large Joey Ramsden yard in Cape Town, and will also be renewing a successful partnership with Alan Greeff in Port Elizabeth.

Cheyne said: “ The time spent in the East, both Hong Kong and Singapore was fantastic – good- quality racing, convenient facilities with everything centralised around a small band of highly- competitive trainers. I was not unhappy and it made financial sense to be based there, but I want more race-riding opportunities and a sense of being in the game.”

He likened his experience to being a contracted footballer at a strong club, being well paid but just not getting that much game-time on the pitch. With fewer meetings staged, Cheyne was averaging just 25 monthly rides. Possessing an industrious work ethic, he is aiming instead for between 80-100 mounts per month in South Africa. Now fully recovered from the broken thumb which recently side-lined him in Singapore, the amiable Cheyne aims to entrench himself in Cape Town, just as another local stalwart, Bernard Fay’d Herbe, heads in the opposite direction to seek his fortune in Singapore. – Racing  Express.