JOEY RAMSDEN

It has been a remarkable month and a few trainers are worthy of the award. Mike Bass won the final Grade 1 of his career, the Mike & Carol Bass Champions Cup, while Mike de Kock won both main marathon events, the SABC Gold Vase and the eLan Gold Cup, scoring the Quartet in the former.

But Joey Ramsden, who moved into the season later than normal, came, saw and did the business winning two Grade 1 events, the Vodacom Durban July and the Mercury Sprint with The Conglomerate and Red Ray. It was his first success in both events, and making it one of the highlights of his career and a performance worthy of the award.

Well done Joey

Justin Snaith 

The competition among the stables is extremely strong and both Dean Kannemeyer and Dennis Drier have done outstandingly well with Kannemeyer saddling a winner from every four horses he sends out and Drier consistently getting his runners into the money with eight winners and 18 places.

But operating away from your home base is a tough thing and Justin has done well with his Durban string with three wins and a second in graded events. He took the double on Guineas day at Greyville winning the Canon Guineas and the Daisy Fillies Guineas then followed it up with another super win with Bela-Bela in the Grade 1 Woolavington 2000.

With the quality of stock he has brought to Durban expectations are high and we congratulate him and wish him well.

Well done Justin

Dean Kannemeyer

Dean has astounded everyone with the success he has had from his satellite stable at Summerveld to the extent that the popular Cape trainer could well end up as the Champion trainer in KwaZulu-Natal if his horses continue to perform in the same way.

Thousands of kilometres from their home base at Milnerton, Dean’s runners have done him proud at Greyville and Scottsville and during the past month won 10 of the 37 races in which they competed and filled another 13 places at a win-place rate of 62.16%.

The stable got off to a flying start in the new month by winning bother the Listed In Full Flight Handicap and the Poinsettia Stakes at Scottsville.

An outstanding effort and well done Dean

Dennis Drier

Dennis is one of the “elder statesmen” of the training community in KwaZulu-Natal and an “institution” at the Summerveld training establishment. He is also one of the leading and most successful trainers in the country.

Having settled back in after his Cape campaign, Dennis and his team are now preparing for South Africa’s Champion’s Season and their runners are again making their presence felt on the local tracks.

With 55 runners during the month, the yard topped the winner’s table with 10 wins while another 21 of its runners finished in the placings giving notice that the stable will be a force to be reckoned with in the months ahead.

Well done Dennis

GAVIN VAN ZYL

Gavin successfully made the transition from a good jockey to a good trainer and has done a great deal to draw new owners into the sport through Team G Racing which allows for small owners to become part of the team and enjoy the privileges and excitement of racehorse ownership.

Together with his sons he operates yards here in KwaZulu-Natal and on the Highveld and both have proven highly successful.

During the month the local operation was the top winning team with seven winners and another five places from 25 runners and those that followed them would have made a R24.10 profit on a R1 win bet on each runner.

The stable contribution to racing is greatly appreciated and worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Gavin.

DENNIS BOSCH

As a jockey Dennis was undoubtedly one of the leading riders in the country, but the dreaded weight problem dominated the latter years of his career forcing his retirement from the saddle.

Switching to training he encountered the difficulties faced by all new conditions in building a stable string with the high quality of the country’s top trainers drawing most of the owners.
But his talents as a horseman have attracted many loyal patrons that have supported him throughout and he did them proud during the month by winning five races with another eight of his runners finishing in the placings.

His dedication to the sport, his charges and his patrons and his fun character that makes owners really enjoy their racing experience, makes his achievement worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Dennis.

KOM NAIDOO

Competing against the big stables at any time of the year is a tough task for trainers but Kom has done exceptionally well for his patrons.

During the month he finished joint second on the KwaZulu-Natal trainer list with Dean Kannemeyer behind Duncan Howells by just one winner while a further 14 of the runners he saddled finished in the money.

His runners are always turned out in top condition and his efforts are worth the award this month.

Well done Kom.

ALYSON WRIGHT

Champion trainer Sean Tarry had an incredible month with 11 winners and another 11 places while Charles Laird and Duncan Howells did well with eight and seven winners respectively.

But having a less formidable string with which to work, Alyson turned her charges out in top condition to reward her in winning six races and finishing in the placings on another nine occasions for a win-place strike rate of 55.56%. Her loyal followers had their rewards as well with a R1 win bet on each of her 27 runners giving them a profit of R31.80.

Her dedication and professionalism are worthy of this month’s award.

Well done Alyson.

DEAN KANNEMYER

Since opening his satellite yard in KwaZulu-Natal Dean has made an incredible impact on racing in the province and winning the Vodacom Durban July has not been enough. His runners have continued to perform well and that continued through into the month under review.

He has drawn a strong team of supporters and those that have followed his stable have been well rewarded.

During the month eight of his 25 runners won and another eight finished in the placings at a win and place percentage of 64%. Those that wagered a win bet on each of his runners would have had a R20.10 return in the month.

Well done Dean.

SEAN TARRY

He is the new Champion Trainer in South Africa and has started the new season in fine style with his record for the month being outstanding.

While he could not match Dennis Drier in the number of winners, his win-place strike rate was magnificent with six winners and eight placings from just 19 runners and a percentage in the money of 73.68.

It was a performance befitting a champion and worthy of the award.

Well done Sean.