SUZANNE & HUGO HATTINGH

Since 1994 Hugo has indulged his “hobby” as an owner of “the most beautiful creatures that the Good Lord placed on this earth”, the thoroughbred racehorse of which he and his wife Suzanne, who he married in 2003, own many in training and in breeding.

It was the racing colours of Hugo that initially graced the horses they raced until Hugo suggested that Suzanne take out her own colours and, according to Suzanne with a little giggle, after horses carrying her colours began winning more than those with Hugo’s, they raced more in her colours than his and during June in KwaZulu-Natal they ended up in the winner’s enclosure on three occasions.

For the Hugo family of Pretoria, which includes daughter Christal and son Gordon, racing is a passionate hobby and after meeting trainer Glen Kotzen at an awards dinner in Cape Town about eight years ago, they moved their racing stock to his private training centre in the Cape with Suzanne being the nominee for the family breeding and racing operation Chrisgor Stud – the name being a combination of the names of their children.

Hugo said they had enjoyed many winners including Grade 1 victories in the Premiers Champion Stakes last season and the Investec Cape Derby, both with their Dynasty colt Eyes Wide Open which Hugo believes can win the World Sports Betting Champions Cup at Greyville on July 28.

With their horses being based in the Cape, Suzanne and Hugo fly from their Highveld home to racing venues in the Cape and KwaZulu-Natal whenever their horses are racing, with the children often joining them and all loving their hobby.

As Hugo says, “If horseracing is not part of your heart, you must stay out of it. Racing requires absolute dedication and passion.”

Well done Suzanne and Hugo