In an exciting build up to the final of the KZN Jockey’s & Trainers Challenge, it was Garth Puller in the end who won the R30 000 Sales Voucher and jockey Lyle Hewitson who took the Jockey leg of the competition.

Garth won the day with his very exciting prospect by Crusade, Roman Dancer. Sean Tarry finished in second place, with three wins on KZN Breeders Race Day, whilst Duncan Howells and Frank Robinson tied for third place.

Lyle won by a massive 120 points, with Warren Kennedy in second place at 74, and third went to Luke Ferraris with 68 points under a brilliant ride with Bank The Cash in the last – leading from first to finish over the 1900m.

The competition took place in conjunction with the KZN Breeders Club and Gold Circle for #kznbreds racing in KZN.

Well done to the winners!

The final points as follows:

The KZN Jockeys and Trainers Challenge is hotting up, with Frank Robinson gaining more points to catch up to Duncan Howells whilst Warren rode three winners on Friday night at Greyville, two of them KZN-bred – Calladdi, and Savuti. Lyle rode two KZN-breds to victory at Scottsville on Sunday – including the smart Just As Well juvenile Master Thief, and Los Barbados.

Points accrue to the trainers and riders of all KZN-born horses for every race run during this period, on the basis of 8 points for a win; 6 for second; 4 for third and two points for fourth.

The leading trainer at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher.

Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers. The points table for each category will be published on a weekly basis.

The KZN Yearling Sale will be held at Sibaya Casino on Thursday 5th July and Friday 6th July.

The winners will be announced on KZN Breeders Race Day taking place 30 June at Greyville, with stakes of R2,7-million on offer for winning connections. See you there dressed in Black & White!

The updated log as of 2 June for the KZN Jockey and Trainers Challenge which will culminate on KZN Breeders Race Day taking place 30 June.

Kom Naidoo continues to lead the trainers log, whilst Lyle Hewitson continues his domination of the jockeys log, all aboard KZN born horses, whilst Warren Kennedy is catching up on 46 points. One of KZN’s leading trainers, Duncan Howells is lying in second place.

Lyle Hewitson recently rode a smart race on the well named and consistent Go Thuli Go, a Summerhill-bred by Brave Tin Soldier out of Nkandla by Forestry.

The KZN Breeders Race Day takes place on 30 June, with plenty of giveaways and prizes for racegoers. A proudly KZN race day exclusively for #kznbred racehorses, there is over R2,6-million to be won for the winning connections on the day which incorporates the Million Mile and sees Vodacom Durban July entry Matador Man looking to make it two wins in a row.

The leading trainer of the KZN Jockeys and Trainers Challenge at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher. The KZN Yearling Sale will be held at Sibaya Casino on Thursday 5th July and Friday 6th July.

Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers.

Come dressed in black and white for a great days racing!

The next log of the KZN Jockey and Trainers Challenge, being run in partnership by the KZN Breeders Club and Gold Circle, sees Antony Hotspur take the lead, whilst Lyle Hewitson continues his leadership for the second week running.

The talented Antony Hotspur also gave KZN Breeder Bruce Campbell a double victory on the day, the other with Johan Janse Van Vuuren’s Liverpool Lass for owner Mario Ferreira. Des Gonsalves, the racing manager for Mario Ferreira recounted how he purchased the filly based on her name, as it is Mario’s favourite soccer team.

Jockey Callan Murray, ranked 10th in the competition log below, described three-year-old
gelding Antony Hotspur as “a progressive horse, one you can follow!” after the smooth-striding bay posted
a follow-up to his Maiden win, beating his outside draw with no fuss and then racing clear stylishly in a
competitive MR82 Handicap over 1400m on the Polytrack at Greyville on Sunday.

Murray said: “Antony Hotspur had it all to do from the draw, but he did it like a mature horse. He was happy to relax in front and then he quickened well to win.”

Trainer Alistair Gordon thanked his owning partner, Barney Hattingh, a medical doctor from Rustenburg, for his patience.

Gordon commented: “Antony Hotspur ran a good second over 1200m on his debut last June, but he fractured a bone in his hock and he required surgery. He was out for the best part of nine months.
“He won a good barrier trial coming back, then won his Maiden over 1200m in good style. To have beaten a field of this quality from his deep draw today says a lot!”

Antony Hotspur is by Antonius Pius from a Parade Leader mare. He was a R50,000 ‘cheapie’ at the KZN Yearling Sale in 2016.

“He is nice and sound after his injury problems and that is very pleasing,” Gordon told Charl Pretorius of Turf Talk this morning.

The KZN Trainer and Jockeys Challenge will culminate on the KZN Breeders Race Day, taking place 30 June at Greyville on a day exclusively dedicated to horses registered with the KZN Breeders Premium Scheme and over R2,6-million to be won in stakes.

The leading trainer at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher.

Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers.

The latest log below:

The first Log of the Trainers and Jockey’s Challenge, sponsored by KwaZulu Natal Breeders’ Club and Gold Circle kicked off on Wednesday 2 May at Scottsville, and sees the Piemonte-bred Oratorio juvenile colt Di Me (pronounced De-May) in the lead.

Di Me won impressively on debut for Mr and Mrs Lance Duncan and trainer Ivan Van Wyk.

Lyle Hewitson is heading up the Jockey’s Log:

The competion will culminate on the KZN Breeders’ Raceday at Greyville on Saturday 30 June, when the overall winners will be announced.

Points will accrue to the trainers and riders of all KZN-bred horses for every race run during this period, on the basis of 8 points for a win; 6 for second; 4 for third and two points for fourth.

The leading trainer at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher.

Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers. The points table for each category will be published on a weekly basis.

The KZN Yearling Sale will be held at Sibaya Casino on Thursday 5th July and Friday 6th July.

Keep a watch on the log which will be exciting to follow each week!

 The KwaZulu Natal Breeders’ Club and Gold Circle have joined forces to introduce a new Trainers and Jockeys’ Challenge which kicks off on Wednesday 2 May at Scottsville and culminates with the KZN Breeders’ Race Day at Greyville on Saturday 30 June.

 Points will accrue to the trainers and riders of all KZN-bred horses for every race run during this period, on the basis of 8 points for a win; 6 for second; 4 for third and two points for fourth.

The leading trainer at the end of the period will receive a R30 000 voucher to be used towards the purchase of any KZN-bred yearling at the 2018 KZN Yearling Sale, with the runner-up receiving a R15 000 voucher and the third placed trainer a R5 000 voucher.

 Jockeys will compete for a cash prize pool of R50 000, split amongst the top three riders in the same ratio as the trainers. The points table for each category will be published on a weekly basis.

 The KZN Yearling Sale will be held at Sibaya Casino on Thursday 5^th July and Friday 6^th July.

 -Raf Sheik, Gold Circle

Athandiwe Mgudlwa rode Royal Agree in the first leg of the KZN Breeders “Level The Playing Fields” Series for a total stake of R1million over four legs, and won on the well-bred Mogok filly for owner Peter De Beyer and trainer Glen Kotzen.

The “Level The Playing Fields” Series is just that – jockeys are drawn out of a hat for each leg and are assigned points by how they finish in each of the races – never knowing who they are going to ride. The overall winner will take home R50 000, along with the winning trainer, owner and breeder with most points accumulated. Each race runs for a stake for R100 000, with the final leg for R200 000 on the Greyville turf, 25 June.

We caught up with Athandiwe, who has earned over R1,5million in stakes for the connections of horses he has ridden this season.

“I live in Hillcrest, but my family is all based in Johannesburg.  As a young child growing up in the rural areas, there were always horses around me and I didnt know that it was something that I could do as a career – and when the opportunity presented itself I really liked it. I didn’t think this sort of job was a possibility really; my one teacher at my old school, Mr Mkize, told me about it and I thought it was worth a try and it ended up being a passion.”

“This is my sixth year as a fully qualified jockey.” When asked how many winners he has ridden, Athandiwe gives a quiet chuckle, saying that he has stopped counting his winners but when he graduated from the [South African] Jockey Academy, he had 50 winners under his belt.

“I just love the feeling of working with the horses, and all the more rewarding when I am putting a smile on an owners face after I have won for them. Owners plough serious money into the business of racing horses and I am really happy when it works out.”

What are the some of the challenges faced these days by jockeys these days?  Athandiwe answers the question put forward. “Putting the work into the horses in the mornings and going out to race days and winning on them – seeing the joy of the connections, is a great feeling.

The challenges of my job is that there are a lot of jockeys around which makes it a very competitive job.  There are a lot of jockeys around with plenty of experience and I have to work that much harder to be competitive. It can be tough if you arent getting the opportunities. In this line of work you have to work hard, be ambitious and keep at it.”

Weight can be a serious issue for most jockeys which makes the job all the more of a challenge, balancing the strength to ride feisty racehorses in an entire race card and keeping weight off is no easy ask for any professional sportsman.

“I am very fortunate indeed in that I dont have a battle with my weight. I have taught myself since the academy days not to fall into bad habits. Sometimes it isnt always advantageous to be light when the trainers have to add weights, it can be a bit of a challenge to, riding with deadweight.”

Discussing career highlights, Athandiwe says the Markus Jooste owned son of Var, Normanz, provided him with his first Gr1 victory. After defeating sprinting greats Barbosa and Tevez in the In Full Flight Listed Handicap, he got the Gr1 ride at Scottsville where the combination beat the brilliant Jooste-owned Red Ray by one and half lengths in the famous green, black and yellow star colours in the Golden Horse Sprint.

“I was really lucky that my first ride in a Gr1 was a winner!” Athandiwe describes another career highlight when securing four wins in a race day. “One of the proudest moments of my life has been riding the Jackpot which was a quite a big highlight.” The Jackpot consisted of riding and winning on four horses in a row on a raceday, an outstanding feat indeed – amongst them Modern Express, Wooden Gold, First Sovereign and Gortahawk.

As far as special horses go, Athandiwe describes Gr1 Premiers Champions Stakes winner Kochka, as “probably the best I have ever ridden. Its such a pity he couldnt carry on as he had problems with his legs, even after a rest.”

Is there life besides racing? “I used to play a lot of soccer until I got injured in racing – I injured my knee. That will always be my hobby. Im a big Chelsea fan, following the English Premier League. Locally I support the Kaizer Chiefs but I havent been following them much lately,” he smiles.

“My mentor is Garth Puller, and I am so grateful for his support he has showed me along the way and helped me get where I am today. When it comes to race riding support, Alyson Wright is giving me great support – Im getting my rides from most of them, and then Sean Tarry has always supported me and trainer Charles Laird.”

Athandiwe’s thoughts on the the series? “The Level The Playing Fields Series is a very good concept from Gold Circle and KZN Breeders. Its very different, its very motivating as a jockey and for the trainers and owners. We are on equal sides and not getting to pick rides and possibly get an opportunity on a better horse and gives us an equal chance and provides a comparison as well,” he enthuses.

“It has also opened opportunities for the jocks as well – you are getting to ride horses for trainers that you wouldnt usually get the opportunity or ridden for before, and of course these opportunities can boost your career. I was lucky enough to be drawn on Royal Agree in the first round and win – before that I had really ridden for the stable of Glen Kotzen. This has given some the jocks a great chance and we all need chances in life.”

Athandiwe competes in the first of two pools of the second Leg on Sunday 30 April at Scottsville, this time on Alyson Wright’s 3yo filly, Roy Is Second. Bred and owned by Roy Moodley, the KZN-bred filly is a daughter of Horse Chestnut out of a Western Winter mare, and is a winner (over 1400m) and placed seven times.

“She has been very consistent in her career and I think the 1400m will suit her better. She’s definitely in with a shout if all goes well!”