The jockeys wore black armbands and flags were flown at half-mast at Kenilworth on Saturday as a mark of respect to Chris Puller who was found dead on Thursday. He was 31 and steeped in racing.
His father Glen was a jockey before turning to training and his uncle Garth, also now a trainer, was one of the best jockeys of his generation. Richard Fourie is married to Chris’s sister.
Puller’s big race successes included the 2007 Diana Stakes on 20-1 shot Joshlin and two Chairman’s Cups for Mike Bass – Meteor Shower in 2009 and Golden Parachute two years later.
In recent seasons he was repeatedly forced to cry off riding arrangements, complaining of the after-effects of old injuries, and he had just 80 rides (including seven winners) last season. His death came as a shock, as well as a devastating blow, to his weighing room colleagues.
Christopher Puller on Pure Power (Liesl King)
Aldo Domeyer said: “It’s very sad. We grew up together and we were at the Academy at the same time. He was one guy who had real natural talent and he used to make bad horses look good.
“He always seemed happy and he was the one who uplifted others when they were down or going through a bad patch. I don’t know what demons he had but maybe we should have been more there for him. His death is a sad loss.”
Craig du Plooy added: “It’s tragic. He sat alongside me in the jockeys’ room for 15 years. He was a fun, jokey sort of guy, always revving us up in a nice way.”
Grant van Niekerk said: “I didn’t expect this. He was a bubbly person, always happy and cheerful, and I can only imagine what the family must be going through.”
Puller had a good association with a number of Cape Town trainers including Greg Ennion for whom he won the 2006 Sophomore on Bulldozer and the Milnerton trainer said: “Chris was an unusually talented rider and very good at judging a horse in its work. Indeed he was as good a judge as Garth and that is saying something.
“I was waiting for him to rehabilitate himself and ride for me again. He rang to say he was coming to talk to me – but he never arrived.”
Michael Clower
