MICHAEL HILTON

The Gold Circle Owner Award for January has been awarded to Michael Hilton.

Working as a wine steward at Turffontein and Gosforth Park to earn pocket money during the last three years of school, Mike got his first taste of the sport of racing. Amongst the many leading owners in racing that he served were the then ‘King and Queen’ of the sport, the late Harry and Bridgett Oppenheimer.

Having grown up in Durban during the 1960’s but now living in Witbank, Mike has retained his love for the City and racing in KwaZulu-Natal and visits Durban regularly to visit family. On one of the visits he met Jane Thomas of Far End Racing in Mooi River who offered him shares in two horses – Mambo Number Five and Precious Royalty – with Mambo Number Five doing him proud with five wins and nine seconds, including a second in the King’s Cup while in the Dennis Drier stable. Mambo Number Five died in 2012 after a successful show jumping career for his daughter Keryn.

Mike now has shares in seven horses with trainer Wendy Whitehead, two of which – Big Ambition and Boom Sheiktheroom – book-ended his birthday on Saturday, January 24. Big Ambition won on the Friday evening and Boom Sheiktheroom on the Sunday which was a wonderful birthday present for him.

Now retired, Mike has decided to stay in Witbank as he knows the town well but prefers to race in Durban saying it’s a lot more fun. On his regular visits to the coast he enjoys spending time with family members and his racing partners watching his horses being put through their paces.

Well done Mike.