Young guns firing at Fairview

Dean Smith one win away from milestone in standout debut season

April 23, 2026 at 12:37 pm

The young guns in the Eastern Cape training ranks are wasting no time in making their mark at Fairview this season.

Kelly Mitchley, 29, and Dean Smith, 26, dominated proceedings at Wednesday’s Polytrack meeting, each saddling a treble in a display that underlined their growing influence.

For Mitchley, it was a particularly significant afternoon as she brought up her 50th winner of the season with three months remaining.

She described the milestone day as “an amazing one”, paying tribute to her team for their role in reaching the half-century.

Having saddled her first runner in 2022, Mitchley has quickly established herself among the province’s leading trainers.

Smith could reach the 50-winner mark at Friday’s Polytrack meeting.

It has been a remarkable debut season for the young conditioner. After registering his first winner in November, he wasted little time stepping onto the big stage, saddling a Grade 1 winner in January when Kingdundee captured the Cape Flying Championship in Cape Town.

Now sitting on 49 winners — including 48 at Fairview — Smith is just one success away from his milestone.

While Alan Greeff remains firmly on course for the trainers’ title, the emergence of Mitchley and Smith has added an exciting dimension to the season.

The pair have pulled clear of the chasing pack, and the future looks decidedly bright.