GREG BORTZ

The Gold Circle Owner Award for the month has been bestowed on Greg Bortz

A man with a life-long passion for the sport, the “racing bug” bit very early in life when hearing the horses in action at Greyville from his nearby home and sneaking through the fence into the course to watch them.

“I took my first place accumulator bet when I was nine years old,” he quipped and now owns “about 90” horses including Independent On Saturday Drill Hall Stakes winner Undercover Agent that will take Greg on a new direction in his love of the thoroughbred as a stallion.

After completing his university studies Greg left South Africa for the United Kingdom and then the United States but returned in 2012 when, on visiting his first thoroughbred sale to buy one horse, ended up buying 17.

“The bug had bitten big time and I just kept on buying. With Undercover Agent going to stud now I have my first stallion and while I had never thought of being a breeder, his career as a stallion might take me on the next stage of my passion.”

Having enjoyed 270 winners as an owner so far, Greg said his joy in the sport was watching his horses run and living overseas with homes in London and America, it had become more difficult to do.

During the month Greg had three winners in KwaZulu-Natal with G G’s Dynasty winning twice at Scottsville after Undercover Agent had scored at Greyville.

Well done Greg