MUZI YENI

One of the most likeable and popular riders in the country, Muzi is also blessed with plenty of talent and he hit KwaZulu-Natal like a storm during the month riding 11 winners and finishing in the placings on another 23 occasions giving his supporters much to be happy about.

His overall money strike rate was over 50% and those that followed him with a R1 win and place bet would have made a profit of R24.6 over the period.

It was a top-notch performance and a great start for the new season.

Well done Muzi.

STUART RANDOLPH

Winning the Vodacom Durban July is the dream of every owner, trainer and jockey and an honour very few have achieved over the years.

Stuart has been the unsung hero of many races in his career but in driving Power King to the line in the country’s toughest and roughest race after taking a bump at the top of the straight from Punta Arenas then gathering him to fight a bitter battle to the finish was an outstanding display of cool and courageous riding worthy of the award.

Well done Stuart.

RICHARD FOURIE

Richard has made a name for himself as a top class rider and one that is almost in a class of his own as a front-runner rider but this month he showed he can do it from anywhere with brilliant victory rides in two Grade 2 feature races.

He rode four winners from 21 rides during the month but few will forget his brilliantly-timed rides for trainer Justin Snaith in the Grade 2 Post Merchants at Greyville and two days later in the Gold Circle Oaks at Scottsville.

Anthony Delpech and Anton Marcus both had outstanding months but it was Richard’s great rides on Daring Dave at Greyville and Ash Cloud at Scottsville that were the outstanding performances of the month.

Well done Richard.

DONOVAN DILLON

The country’s top trainers and riders are in the region as Champions Season races along in full swing and the top riders, as expected, have the pick of the best rides.

However, Donovan has maintained his top racing standard and in a very competitive time managed to boot home seven winners, only two less than Anton Marcus and one less than Anthony Delpech and S’Manga Khumula. The young rider also managed to steer another 15 of his rides into the placings.

Well done Donovan.

With many top riders in this country deserving recognition for their talent and success, it was not easy making a selection this month with Anthony Delpech winning 13 races and three riders – Marcus, Sean Cormack and Keagan De Melo each scoring eight times.

However, just swinging the vote in his favour was Anton’s success at Scottsville on April 26 where he won three of the feature events -the Strelitzia Stakes, the Godolphin Barb Stakes and the Scarlet Lady – a performance worthy of this month’s award.

Well done Anton.

ANTHONY DELPECH

The Gold Circle Jockey Award for the month has been bestowed on Anthony Delpech.

Anthony is one of the country’s top riders with international experience and success and during the month he had a magnificent run.

Of his 43 rides during the month he steered 16 of his mounts into the winner’s enclosure including five at one meeting. He also managed another 16 places with a winning strike rate of 37.21% and a win-place strike rate of 74.42 %. Those punters that followed him with a R1 win bet on each of his mounts would have ended the month with a R25.60 profit.
A dedicated professional, his mounts should always be given the utmost respect.

Well done Anthony

ANTHONY DELPECH
Anthony Delpech is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for February.

After being side-lined through injury, Anthony has come back hungry and finished well clear of his rivals in races won, 16 to be exact and eight clear of his nearest rival.  He had the highest winning strike rate of 34%, also well clear of the rest of his weighing room colleagues.

Well done Anthony.

SEAN CORMACK
Stuart Randolph headed the local jockey table for the month with 12 winners and is riding at the top of his game but one cannot ignore the performance of Sean Cormack which commanded absolute dedication and a massive effort.

During the month he flitted back and forth between Durban and Cape Town, riding many winners at Kenilworth for his main boss Dennis Drier and for Justin Snaith but also booted home nine winners in KwaZulu-Natal with a winning strike rate of 27.27%.

In addition, 17 of his 33 local rides for the month finished in the placings giving him an incredible win/place success rate of 78.79% which was an outstanding performance.

Well done Sean.

STUART RANDOLPH

Stuart has been riding for a long time as a steady, workmanlike jockey and, given the chances, he has usually brought home the bacon.

With riders like Anton Marcus, Kevin Shea and Anthony Delpech out of action due to injury, Stuart was given plenty of chances and made the most of them with eight winners and a further 20 places from his 52 rides.

His success in the month was a sterling effort worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Stuart.

ALEC FORBES

Not a man to seek the limelight but a dedicated and hard-working horseman, Alec is one of the “quiet men” of racing and goes about his business without flourish and fanfare but giving all the horses he rides the best chance he can.

Those talents have been recognised by a number of trainers that have used them regularly and in the month under review Alec had 46 rides from which he scored eight wins and a further 17 places which was second only to Anthony Delpech who had a very good month with 11 winners and 22 placings from 48 rides.

Well done Alec.