SEAN TARRY

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Sean Tarry

Handling the possessions of others that place their trust in you, particularly when those possessions cost many thousands and even millions of rands, is not a job for the faint hearted particularly when those possessions are involved in dangerous circumstances on a regular basis.

Sean has proven that he and his team are among the best in South Africa operating with a professionalism that has brought great success for himself and more importantly, for his patrons.

The Tarry team’s focus is geared to South Africa’s major race meetings around the country and it came up trumps at the recent Tsogo Sun Sprint meeting at Scottsville where he narrowly missed making history by winning all four of the Grade 1 races that formed the official Jackpot. His runner was beaten by a narrow margin in the first leg but those in the next three won extremely well, a feat in itself that had not been done before.

An outstanding performance that is worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Sean.

GLEN KOTZEN

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Glen Kotzen.

Thinking as a youngster that he may become a priest, Glen’s career path changed somewhat as he grew older and thereafter included an application to the Jockey Academy to become a jockey which was thwarted by weight and an apprenticeship which saw him qualify as an electrician. Blowing all the lights in the house short-circuited that employment path and he moved back to the “family business” of horseracing. Indeed, that move has proven the right one and Glen has become one of the top conditioners in the country operating from his private training centre in the Cape and a Summerveld satellite yard and, in anyone’s language, doing very well.

During the month horses from his stable won five races from 27 runners, equaling the 18% winner percentage of leading KwaZulu-Natal trainer Dennis Drier who topped the list with six winners from 32 runners.

With another seven place finishers giving him a 45% win-place record, runners from this yard are likely to feature well during the season and should be closely considered.

Well done Glen.­

TONY RIVALLAND

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Tony Rivalland

Involved in various aspects of the racing scene in KwaZulu-Natal over the years, Tony has operated his racing stable in the province for many years and can claim to having successfully trained one of the country’s great and most famous sprinters, the legendary Senor Santa, for the first part of the speedster’s career.

Many winners have emerged from his yard over the years including a number for one of the legendary owners in the region, Mrs Mary Liley, who continues to support the yard and whose horses were among the seven winners Tony enjoyed from 22 runners during the month finishing in second position on the log to the eight winners saddled by Dennis Drier.

With a relatively small operation, Tony’s success is worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Tony!

DENNIS DRIER

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Dennis Drier

One of the senior trainers in KwaZulu-Natal and indeed in South Africa having taken out his licence back in 1977, Dennis has been champion trainer in his province many times and continues to produce winners for his patrons.

This month he and Louis Goosen topped the trainer table in terms of races won and the yards of Garth Puller, Brett Crawford and Mark Dixon were right there making it a close finish at the top of the table.

That being the case, Dennis just edged his competitors with a near 30% winning strike rate and that being while he was also still involved with his annual campaign in the Cape. His loyal supporters would also have had a good month with a R1 win bet on each of his 17 runners giving a total return of R43.40.

Well done Dennis

LOUIS GOOSEN

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Louis Goosen.

With racing deeply embedded in his DNA, Ashburton trainer Louis Goosen has been turning out the winners on the Highveld and in recent times in KwaZulu-Natal for many years. With a strong following in the sport he enjoyed an excellent month to start the year by winning twice as many races than any other yard.

The son of one of the leading former trainers in the Eastern Cape, the late Danie Goosen that became a multiple champion trainer in Port Elizabeth after weight problems cut short his riding career, Louis led 10 horses into the winner’s enclosure in January with another 11 of his runners making the frame.

Louis trained in Gauteng for some years before moving to Ashburton, learning much along the way from top trainers including the “sprinter king”, the late Buddy Maroon, and his brother-in-law jockey Piere Strydom, and rates taking care of owners as one of the most important aspects in racing.

Well done Louis!

ANDRE NEL

Taking over as private trainer to a famous stable like that of Sabine Plattner where top trainers like Chris Snaith and Brett Crawford had previously operated with success is a major challenge but Andre Nel had considerable experience behind him to approach it with considerable enthusiasm.

As former assistant trainer to Crawford operating the top stable’s satellite yard at Summerveld as well as considerable experience in stud management here and in England, Andre showed the talent that has seen him earn his new position as the key man for Platter Racing in the Cape which also operates a yard in KwaZulu-Natal which is run very efficiently by former jockey Byron Forster.

Nephew of former top trainer Willie Pieters, Andre has almost a life-long association with horses and under his oversight his horses shouldered their way between those of the province’s two top stables, those of Duncan Howells and Dennis Drier, with the three yards each recording seven wins for the month.

An excellent effort from a satellite yard that is worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Andre

BRETT CRAWFORD

Brett Crawford is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the month.

Brett is one of a few out-of-province trainers operating satellite yards in KwaZulu-Natal with success and runners from the yard are always presented in top condition for the races they contest at Greyville or Scottsville.

Currently fifth on the National Trainer Log with the highest winner to runner percentage,runners out of his KwaZulu-Natal yard won 40% of the races they competed in. During the month the stable sent out 22 runners and won with nine of them with another three making the frame.

A stable always highly respected, it earned its rewards this month.

Well done Brett

DENNIS BOSCH

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month goes to Dennis Bosch

Had he not had a battle with his weight, Dennis would undoubtedly have been a major contender for champion jockey over the many years when he displayed his talent as a jockey that was among the best the country had seen.

As a “heavyweight” rider he was limited to the number of rides he could take but when he got his chances it was a treat to see how he became one with his mounts and seemed to effortlessly extract the best from them.

Highly popular in the racing community with his jovial personality and among his patrons in particular, Dennis enjoyed a well-earned month to top the provincial trainer’s log with six winners and 13 places at a win-place strike rate of 51.35%.

Well done Dennis

DENNIS DRIER

The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month has been bestowed on Dennis Drier

Dennis is one of the stalwarts of racing in South Africa and has been the KwaZulu-Natal regional champion trainer on many occasions over the years. The nephew and protege of one of the greatest South African trainers of all time, the legendary Syd Laird, his career success over many decades is a tribute to his mentor and to his talent and dedication to his passion.

It is also what the racing public and owners look for in a stable to follow and during the month Dennis again showed his outstanding talent in presenting his charges on a level of perfection that saw 10 make the winner’s enclosure and a further 16 of the 47 runners fielded in the month earning place cheques for their connections.

An example of professionalism and unfailing dedication to inspire any young conditioner, it was yet another performance worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Dennis

JUSTIN SNAITH

Justin has had an incredible KZN Champions Season this year and he made no secret that he was expecting good results with the top string he brought here. The cherry on the top for this month was no doubt the Snaith stable winning the Vodacom Durban July with the son of Twice Over DO IT AGAIN but also finishing second and third. A top achievement which sees him being named this month’s Gold Circle Trainer of the month.

Well done Justin and your entire team.