Racing legend Basil Marcus is in Cape Town’s Milnerton Mediclinic recovering from what is believed to be a seizure.

Son Adam said: “It happened during track work last Thursday. When I went into the office I found him in a chair pretty much out, and I took him to the Mediclinic as that was the nearest hospital.

“They thought he had had a heart attack or a stroke and they did a CTC scan on his heart and lungs but both were OK.

“The next day they did an MRI scan on his brain and they now believe he had an epileptic seizure. It was a frightening experience and I personally didn’t think he was going to make it.

“It’s amazing to think that he had all those injuries, and broke all those bones, during his riding career yet this could happen when he was relaxing.”

Marcus, 59, was seven times champion in Hong Kong in an outstanding riding career that saw him win two Mets and three Queen’s Plates. He was also twice Cape champion apprentice and had considerable success in Britain. He was second on Game Plan in the 1990 Oaks and rode her to victory in the Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland.

He switched to training in 2004 and sent out almost 300 winners in five and a half seasons including the Cape Guineas and Derby with Jay Peg.

Michael Clower