S’Manga Khumalo’s first visit to Durbanville for nine years looks in doubt after Snaith Racing took him off all six booked rides at the country course’s meeting on Wednesday.

Smanga Khumalo

This follows the former champion’s controversial defeat on the stable’s Captain Courteous in the Soccer 6 Maiden at Fairview on Friday. The 7-1 shot cruised to the front over a furlong out and went more than a length clear as Khumalo sat almost motionless, seemingly convinced he had the race in the bag.

But Luyolo Mxothwa on 2-1 favourite Seattle Light refused to concede defeat, kept driving away and got up on the line to score by a head leaving a stunned Khumalo in more trouble than the British Prime Minister.

Tellytrack commentator Alistair Cohen exclaimed: “Has Khumalo pulled off a howler? Oh my word, I think there is going to be drama.”

Khumalo faces a lengthy suspension unless he can come up with some extremely extenuating circumstances but it will come too late to affect his second championship which seems his for the taking. He went into yesterday’s Greyville meeting 25 clear of Anthony Delpech.

NHA Racing Control boss Arnold Hyde said: “An inquiry has been initiated but I don’t know what his (Khumalo’s) movements are so I can’t say whether it will be in Port Elizabeth or elsewhere.”

Khumalo now has only one ride at Durbanville – Like Janis for Ronnie Sheehan in the 1 000m handicap – and whether he considers the journey worth making for one mount must be doubtful. He has not ridden there since the 2006/07 season when he had one winner, two seconds and a third from ten rides.

By Michael Clower