Andrew Fortune

The Gold Circle Jockey of the Month is generally reserved for KZN-based riders but the table was headed by Kabelo Matsunyane with six wins with Tristan Godden and Muzi Yeni next best with four each. However, Andrew Fortune, riding in his first meeting in KZN since regaining his jockey lisence put in what was arguably the finest ride of the month when scoring on Peter Muscutt’s runner Nelson Bay. It was a master class in jockeyship and a race that stands repeated viewing. “It’s very seldom they get the honey pot out of my hands,” Fortune quipped post-race.

Andrew Fortune is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for March

Apprentice Damyan Pillay

Sean Veale, who now plies his trade between KZN and the Western Cape, was KZN’s leading jockey in December, winning ten races at an average of 25%. However, he was upstaged by apprentice Damyan Pillay with four winners from just 19 rides. Damyan scored his first ever win aboard Red Mountain for Robbie Hill back in early September and has since ridden six more winners, four of those coming in December at a 21% winning strike rate.

Damyan is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for December.

Tristan Godden

With the top jockeys flitting around the country with their services in demand it is something of an indictment that half of the names on the log of the top ten in KZN are visiting riders. However, Tristan Godden and Rachel Venniker flew the local flag in January, Tristan with six wins and Rachel five. Tristan has matured into a top rider and his services are in demand when not riding for Mike Miller as his retained rider and he seldom ventures outside of the province. 

Tristan is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for January.

Serino Moodley

Serino Moodley cemented his place at the top of the local jockey standings with a timely treble at Hollywoodbets Scottsville to round off the month. He took advantage of Muzi Yeni’s and Tristan Godden’s absence to answer trainer MJ Odendaal’s call. Serino is regularly in the top five and headed February’s standings with eight winners, two more than runner-up Tristan Godden.

Serino is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for February

Serino Moodley

Serino Moodley was the hardest working jockey in KZN having 63 rides in the month of July. This resulted in him heading the winner’s log with nine victories one more than visiting riders Richard Fourie and S’Manga Khumalo who had the choice of some plum rides. S’Manga was aboard star filly Quid Pro Quo in all three of her feature victories. Serino has built up a strong relationship with recently crowned KZN champion trainer Gareth van Zyl and he looks to have a bright future ahead.

Serino is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for July

Richard Fourie

Richard Fourie is a runaway winner of the National Jockey’s Championship and finally broke Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 winners in a single season on June 10. It was fitting that he broke the record at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Double Grand Slam, part-owned by golfing legend Gary Player. KZN has been a happy hunting ground as he has been well supported by the local trainers where he had ridden 78 winners at Hollywoodbets Greyville, 40 on the Poly and 38 on the Turf, and 34 at Hollywoodbets Scottsville up until breaking the record. There is still a month of the current season to run and barring accidents and suspension he could well make it over the 400 winners mark.

Richard is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the month of June.

Richard Fourie

Richard Fourie is well on his way to breaking Anthony Delpech’s record number of winners in a season and the Cape Town-based rider has been well supported in his quest by KZN trainers. In the same vein as the now retired Anton Marcus, Fourie rides many false-priced favourites but he has swept all before him in KZN this month winning seventeen races at a phenomenal strike-rate of 25%. He was chased home on the monthly table by Craig Zackey, Tristan Godden and Athandiwe Mgudlwa, all with seven victories to their name. But barring any unforeseen circumstances, the record is well within Fourie’s grasp in spite of facing a seven-day suspension for one strike over the limit in an otherwise remarkable suspension-free run.

Richard is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for May.

Athandiwe Mgudlwa

Athandiwe, or Thandi to his colleagues, has recently joined forces with Alyson and Kevin Wright. A talented light-weight rider, he does not always get the best opportunities not having been connected to any one stable. But his services are always in demand as he had 43 rides in the month, the third most behind only Richard Fourie and Rachel Venniker. He made the most of those opportunities booting home five winners to take his tally to 36 for the season.

Athandiwe is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for April.

Rachel Venniker

Rachel Venniker is only recently out of her time as an apprentice but lost her apprentice claim over a year before. However, her 1.5kg sex allowance raised eyebrows as she can hold her own against the best, claim or no claim, as she illustrated when winning a Gr1 in Saudi Arabia against some of the finest international riders including regular world number one, Ryan Moore. Rachel was in good form locally as she rode eleven winners at a healthy strike rate of 19%. She also had six seconds and four thirds.

Rachel is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for March.

There were a couple of remarkable achievements during the month, notably apprentice James Lihaba riding seven winners at a smart 21% strike rate, matched only by seasoned rider Craig Zackey with strikingly similar stats. However, Richard Fourie was head-and-shoulders above his rivals with 15 winners in KZN alone and well on course for his record attempt at 334 for a season set by Anthony Delpech in 1998. He is assured of the National Title even at this early stage of the season and we wish him well in his quest for the record.

Richard is Gold Circle’s rider of the month for February.