Passing Of Alec Forbes

The racing world was shocked and saddened on Thursday morning by news of the sudden death of jockey Alec Forbes overnight. He had ridden five horses at Scottsville on Wednesday, winning on Master Of Mischief.

He had apparently been feeling “fluish” before using the sweat box to lose weight for a ride and felt worse when he got home after the race meeting. When he started vomiting, wife Lezeanne took him to casualty where he was diagnosed with pneumonia.

It it believed his organs then started shutting down and he died on Thursday morning. Forbes was 41. He leaves his wife and children Jordan and Savannah.

Forbes, who was denied admittance to the South African Jockey Academy initially for being too small, rode his first winner on his eighth ride – Don’t Blame Me over 1100m at Scottsville in May 1993 – and since then had won well over 800 races.

They included seven Grade 1s – on Highland Night in the Gold Cup in 2002, Zeeno and Link Man in the Gold Medallion in 2006 and 2010, Val De Ra in the Computaform Sprint and Cape Flying Championship in 2011 and ’12 respectively, Bambina Stripes in the 2012 SA Fillies Classic and Via Africa in the 2013 SA Fillies Sprint.
His most successful day on the winner front was arguably in November 2014 when he booted home five winners, a day he called “incredible”. He finished seventh on the KwaZulu-Natal jockeys’ log last season and nationwide won 45 race from 568 rides.

-www.tabonline.co.za

Our thoughts are with his wife Lezeanne and children at this very sad time. Rest In Peace Alec.