ALISTAIR GORDON
Alistair Gordon is Gold Circle’s Trainer of the Month for February.
Alistair had a winning strike rate of 25% with five of his 20 runners winning. More remarkable is that if punters had placed a R1 win bet on all his runners they would be in profit for the month. His winners were Assegai, Racing For Fun, Syringa, Sugarbuzz and Donna Amata.
Well done Alistair
MIKE MILLER
Mike has been a trainer for many years and has produced many winners from a relatively small string. But during January the yard was in top form with 50% of his 26 runners finishing in the first four of which six made the winner’s enclosure.
His was the second highest winning percentage for the month and those that followed him with a R1 win bet on all his runners would have ended the month with a R4.10 profit.
Well done Mike.
DUNCAN HOWELLS
It has been a good year for the Ashburton trainer who is the reigning champion trainer of KwaZulu-Natal. He has been blessed with some top horses in his career but his stable generally has consistently performed at a competitive level.
During the month he saddled 54 runners with nine finding the winner’s enclosure and a further 15 finishing in the placings with a win-place strike rate at 45%.
An excellent performance from a professional operation and worthy of the award.
Well done Duncan & your entire stable.
It has been a good year for the Ashburton trainer who is the reigning champion trainer of KwaZulu-Natal. He has been blessed with some top horses in his career but his stable generally has consistently performed at a competitive level.
During the month he saddled 54 runners with nine finding the winner’s enclosure and a further 15 finishing in the placings with a win-place strike rate at 45%.
An excellent performance from a professional operation and worthy of the award.
Well done Duncan & your entire stable.
DENNIS BOSCH
Once one of the most talented jockeys in South Africa, Dennis’ riding career was plagued with weight problems which eventually led to his retirement from the saddle. With racing and the love of the thoroughbred running so strongly through his veins, he turned his hand and his immense talent to training.
Operating a relatively small stable, Dennis has had many achievements in the sport and during the past month, from just 24 runners, he saddled five winners and six other runners that finished in the placings – a winning strike rate of 20.83%.
A trainer who his patrons say is a wonderful person to race with, Dennis is very popular among his fellow conditioners and his success during the month was a tribute to his dedication and hard work.
Well done Dennis.
The Gold Circle Trainer Award for the month of October has been bestowed on Kom Naidoo
Trainer Kom Naidoo, like most of his colleagues, has had his difficult periods but his stable has been in top form recently and during the month his horses topped the local winner’s table with eight finding the winner’s enclosure and further five running into the placings.
The stable has done its patrons proud and punters that followed his horses would have ended the month on a profit.
Well done Kom.
During the month three stables dominated racing in the province and all three deserve recognition for their performances.
The stables of Charles Laird, Duncan Howells and Mike de Kock each managed to saddle nine winners during the month but on an overall performance, it was Duncan’s yard that really produced the goods.
In addition to his nine winners another 22 of his runners finished in the placings and punters that followed his runners with a R1 investment would have made a healthy R14.90 profit.
Duncan’s yard does not have the fire power enjoyed by the other two stables which makes his achievement even more special.
Well done Duncan.
As one of South Africa’s senior and more successful trainers, Charles has weathered the storms of many ups and downs in his career and remains one of the most respected members of the profession.
In recent times he has not enjoyed the best of health but continues to lead a strong team that turns its runners out in top condition. During the month the stable topped the winner’s list with eight successes and a further eight places with one in every three of its runners making it into the winner’s enclosure.
Well done Charles.
PAUL GADSBY
It was a month where the spoils were spread across the spectrum of training yards with the leading stables continuing to perform while the smaller stables pitched in and made their presence felt on the winner’s board.
Charles Laird, Gavin van Zyl, Dennis Drier and Duncan Howells continued to send out winners while the stables of Robbie Hill and Paul Gadsby threw their hats into the ring along with Frank Robinson and Dennis Bosch.
It was a difficult call to select a trainer of the month but Paul was chosen for having the highest winning percentage of 36.36% and for his general presentation of his horses and himself on course.
Well done Paul.
Vastly experienced through his association with Herman Brown and legendary trainer Herman Brown senior, Frank has developed his yard as a highly efficient operation and his talent and dedication is paying off.
During the month Frank saddled six winners from just 18 runners with another five of his horses finishing in the money. His winning strike rate of 33.33% for the month was exceptional and worthy of the monthly award.
Well done Frank.
