Piet Botha has come out of retirement and rides two horses for Glen Puller at Kenilworth on Saturday – Love To Fly in the Juvenile Plate and Jay Rock in the Racing Association Maiden.

Glen Puller

Botha, 40, said yesterday: “I resumed riding work on December 27. I wanted to ride one horse and see how it feels. I haven’t looked back since, and I aim to continue for as long as I stay fit and healthy. My weight is pretty good – I was 56kg when I stepped on the scales last Saturday.”

A bad fall at Summerveld in 2010 ended his career the first time round when a broken rib caused endless pain and led to his being medically boarded with supposedly-permanent nerve damage.

He rode two Grade 1 winners in Mauritius and has a string of Grade 2 and 3 winners in Cape Town to his credit including the Green Point and Matchem on Roman Charger, Peninsula Handicap (Dunford),  Chairman’s Cup (Selous trained by Puller), Odessa ( Joshua’s Princess), Sceptre (Joshlin) and J & B Reserve Stayers.

Since his retirement he has been concentrating on building up his coffee machine business.

By Michael Clower