Barend Botes

Barend Botes, who recently relocated from the Highveld, has a relatively small string at his new Summerveld yard and only had two wins to his name this month. However, those two were significant as they belong to star filly Quid Pro Quo who, barring some anomaly, will be crowned Equus Champion Two-Year-Old Filly. Although the Gr1 Allan Robertson Fillies Championship fell outside of this month, Botes steered Quid Pro Quo to victories in the Gr2 Zulu Kingdom Explorer Gold Slipper on Hollywoodbets Durban July Day and the month ending victory in the Gr1 Douglas Whyte Stakes for an unprecedented treble.

Barend is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for July.

Sean Tarry

Sean Tarry has made Champions Season a happy hunting ground, particularly Hollywoodbets Scottsville where he holds the record of 20 Gr 1 wins, unseating the now retired Dennis Drier, Lucky Lad winning the Gr1 Golden Horse Sprint and Gr1 Gold Medallion winner Proceed adding to his tally this month. Tarry is also a staunch support of KZN-bred horses, particularly as he was the trainer of the smart KZN-based sire Willow Magic whose progeny have done well for him. He ended the month by sending out Mrs Geritrix to win the KZN Breeders Mile at a meeting where his runners have dominated over the years.

Sean is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the month of June. 

Gareth van Zyl

Alyson Wright took the lead in the tight race for KZN’s Champion Trainer with a rare five-timer at Hollywoodbets Greyville putting her three winners ahead of closest rival Gareth van Zyl. However, Gareth was only one behind her with five winners to Alyson’s six for the month but he took a calculated gamble in supplementing Flag Man for the Gr1 Hollywoodbets Durban July off his 96 merit rating. After running hot favourite Green With Envy to a head in the Gr1 Daily News 2000, Flag Man took a massive 34-point hit in the ratings, one pound less than the ruling July ante-post favourite but also catapulted Gareth’s runner into a live runner for Africa’s greatest horserace. 

Gareth van Zyl is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for May

Alyson Wright

There is a tight race for KZN Trainer’s Championship with all of Alyson, Mike Miller, Gareth van Zyl Wendy Whitehead and Garth Puller within four winners of each other. Alyson and Gareth van Zyl are currently tied on 39 winners each but Alyson’s 44 second places gives her a narrow lead. Alyson was the leading trainer in April with seven winners and with Athandiwe Mgudlwa now part of the stable things are looking up.

Alyson is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for April.

Tienie Prinsloo

Tienie Prinsloo is the only former Kimberley-based trainer to stay the distance when Flamingo Park closed and some moving to KwaZulu-Natal. It has been a struggle and Tienie currently has one of the smallest strings in Summerveld but he saddled eleven runners for three winners and two seconds in the month at a 54% win/place strike rate.

Tienie is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for March

Wendy Whitehead, Alyson Wright and Gareth van Zyl dominated the leader board as far as winners went in the month and the trio paid to follow with a R1 bet on Wendy’s runner realizing a R11 return on investment. However, veteran Dennis Bosch has scaled down his operation in recent years and only saddled eleven runners in the month. Three of those were winners with three runner-up placings for a 54% winning strike rate.

Dennis is Gold Circle’s trainer of the month for February. 

Byron Forster

Byron’s name does not appear on the official trainer’s log but as KZN assistant to Western Cape-based trainer Andre Nel he runs the Summerveld yard. A long-time assistant to Paul Lafferty, Byron took his chances when assistant to Nel came up as he was basically on his own. He sent out 22 runners for four win and three seconds for a healthy 18% winning strike rate.

Byron is Gold Circle’s trainer of the Month for January

Robbie Hill

Robbie Hill has one of the smaller yards in Summerveld and while he generally flies under the radar one can never discount his runners. Robbie was a top jockey in his riding days and was for many years associated with training legend Dennis Drier. Robbie only saddled five runners in December for two wins and a second at a 40% strike rate. A R1 win bet on each of his runners would have returned a R12.70 profit.

Robbie is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for December.

Mike Miller

Mike Miller had one of the best days of his training career at Hollywoodbets Scottsville when he saddled five winners on the eight-race card. It is not unusual for a jockey to have a five-timer but it is exceptional for a trainer. Mike is known for being a wizz in starting his two-year-olds early and is currently second on the KZN trainer log with 17 winners, one behind Alyson Wright. Mike has also had particular success at Hollywoodbets Scottsville with 11 of his total coming on the Maritzburg course.

Mike is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for November

MJ Odendaal

MJ Odendaal is a genuine character among the training ranks and is not your conventional dresser, shirt on or off, and his enthusiasm is contagious. He was a talented rider in his day and he knows his way around a racehorse. He has a small stable and from just 16 runners he saddled three winners and four seconds for a 50% win/place strike rate. 

MJ is Gold Circle’s trainer of the Month for October