Mr and Mrs Avison and Mary Carlisle

Avison and Mary Carlisle were introduced to the wonderful sport of horseracing by their life- long friends Scotch Ferrie and Robert Smith in the mid 80’s and they have never looked back. They are registered breeders and owners in South Africa. Mary is a retired housewife and proud grandmother and Avison is although retired, the Chairman of the South African Jockey Academy and manages his son Kuyan’s Kinmount Farm and the Kinmount Syndicates finances which keeps him very busy and is in fact a full time job! Avison is also a very proud grandparent. Most of the members of the Kinmount Syndicate are members of the Carlisle family but Gary De Bufanos, Graham Griffin and Dr James McAllister are proudly part of the team too.

Gold Circle and the entire team wish Mr and Mrs Carlisle and the members of the Kinmount Syndicate all the very best and many winners to come!     

SUGEN AND USHANTHA PILLAY

The Gold Circle Owner Award for the month has been awarded to Sugen and Ushantha Pillay.

“It’s wonderful to be part of this lovely racing family, being involved with these beautiful animals and socialising with the other owners and trainers.”

That was how Ushantha, a bubbly personality, described her exciting involvement in racing and the special nature of the sport that, in the case of Ushantha and Sugen, had driven them to expand their involvement to about 20 horses – half as outright owners and half in partnerships with others.

When at High School Ushantha had no interest in racing but had a friend that was “crazy” about horses and together they visited the animals. Her love, however, was for speed and fast cars but later, she felt it would be better to refocus her interests on horses.

The couple took out their colours in June 2016 with their first horse being the Twice Over filly Sweet Vittoria that did not prove that successful and is now in Kimberley. But, they had come to really enjoy the sport and expanded their involvement to have runners in Durban, Cape Town and Kimberley.

“Apart from the racing and socialising, we love going to visit the horses at the stables. When you look into those beautiful eyes, it is just something very special,” said Ushantha.

During the month the couple had three winners at Greyville with a double on the first day of the month.

Well done Sugen and Ushantha!