One of the most genuine racing enthusiasts, he was passionate about the sport and worked tirelessly to promote all aspects. Along with youngest son Aiden, he was currently working on a television production, Legends Of The Turf.

Jimmy was a kind person, refreshingly different from so many in horse racing. As Robyn Lowe wrote in the Sporting Post, “He was intelligent, well-read and well-travelled. He had a tremendous sense of humour and regarded life with wide-eyed curiosity and a great deal of amusement – usually at his own expense.”

He had a superb, resonant voice and an oh so very polished manner of delivery.  His stints on Tellytrack were both enlightening and informative as he drew from his vast knowledge of the sport – unfortunately not appreciated by those driven by the bottom line with whom he had frequent run-ins that eventually resulted in him being dropped from the schedule.

But in his unique way, he did so much to add colour and vitality to horse racing. He was stickler for accuracy and his Sunday Times columns on the July and Met always painted an accurate and colourful picture of the races.

Jimmy also had a passion for theatre and went on to tread the boards in a few professional productions, even making a brief appearance in the movie Invictus directed by Clint Eastwood. He produced radio plays for Springbok Radio and SA FM, as well as presenting and producing many horseracing shows for TV winning an Equus Media Award in 2013.

Jimmy would have turned 68 in 16 November. He leaves his wife of 40 years Elaine, sons Aiden and Jonathan and grandchildren Katherine and nine-month old Matthew.

Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.

– Racegoer

Dixon won the inaugural running of the event in 2007 with the Muhtafal gelding Umngazi, but unfortunately for him and owner Bruce Lin the total prize money back then was a relatively paltry R500000, despite their charge having beaten the like of Imbongi, who went on to become a dual Guineas victor and winner of Group races in both the UK and Dubai.

Oi Yoi Yoi, who is also owned by Lin, impressed jockey Brandon Lerena when stepped up to the 1400m trip of the Ready To Run Cup last time out in a Maiden on the Greyville polytrack on September 29. She came from last with a powerful run, despite the race having been run at a slow pace, and scooted clear in commanding fashion to win by 2,5 lengths.

That was only her fourth career start and it will now be up to the panellists to decide whether she is good enough to make the final Ready To Run field. She was only in 28th place on the latest log, but a few of those above her are yet to prove they stay the 1400m trip.

Whether she makes the race or not, she is one to follow this season as the yard rate her and Dixon confirmed yesterday that she was improving all the time.

Justin Snaith said yesterday: “He broke down on both suspensories – the ground was too firm – but I will look after him for the rest of his life. He gave me everything he had and so I will give him everything for the remainder of his days.”

The seven-year-old was frequently unlucky, hence he won only four of his 33 starts, but he was placed in 15 other races and his earnings were almost R1.9 million.

The four-year-old, winner of last season’s Avontuur Estate Cape Fillies Guineas and Woolavington, went into quarantine last Friday and will spend the mandatory 90 days in Mauritius before being flown to Britain.

Snaith said yesterday: “She will have the winter in the UK and then we will race her there next season with me as the trainer. It’s very exciting.”

The champion trainer confirmed that others in his string will follow and in the meantime he is to open a satellite yard in Johannesburg next May to enable him to plunder the big prizes at Turffontein.

He explained: “They won’t allow us to have any more stables in Port Elizabeth so I have to look elsewhere. It’s getting harder in PE every month but at this stage I plan to keep the operation there. I will have 26 boxes in Jo’burg.”

Legislate is bound for export rather than Johannesburg, after running in the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate and the J & B Met, but he is still on the easy list after his rough passage when winning the Vodacom Durban July.

Snaith said: “We are taking our time with him and he is not yet back working. People don’t realise just how hard a race he had in the July. His legs were very sore afterwards with all the bumping and interference he suffered. There are no plans yet but he will probably start off in something like the Jet Master Stakes at Kenilworth on 20 December.”

The Dennis Drier-trained Western Winter gelding Knox was very green on debut last month, but showed yesterday that his R600,000 price tag might prove worthwhile when staying on strongly from the front under Marcus in the first over 1200m to win by seven lengths at odds of 6/1.

In the second 1200m the Gavin van Zyl-trained R650,000 Silvano gelding Night Shadow also stepped up markedly from his debut and won fluently under Keagan de Melo despite odds of 16-1.
In the third the Robbie Hill-trained Miesque’s Approval filly Bluebaygirl looked to have the best form, but was very widely wide drawn and started at 7/1. She produced a flying finish from near the back under 2,5kg claimer Claassen to nab the favourite Flying Luxmi on the line.

In the fourth the old theory that three-year-olds should be avoided in handicaps at the beginning of the season proved correct as the favourite Step To Fame found little from a handy position and finished unplaced. Drier landed a double and his charge Eternal Jet proved again that Jet Masters enjoy the polytrack by  winning comfortably under Sean Cormack at odds of 33/10.
In the fifth the Kumaran Naidoo-trained seven-year-old Kahal gelding Storm Surf made it two wins over the Greyville polytrack 1400m in successive weekends, not surprisingly as he was still off a merit rating 38 points lower than his sand rating. He drew clear from a handy position to win easily under Delpech.

Delpech then scored in a fillies and mares Novice over 1400m on the impressive Mike de Kock-trained Dynasty filly Maria Theresa, who burst through late to land healthy 4/1 odds.

The next two races disproved the theory about young three-year-olds in handicaps. First the Duncan Howells-trained Lateral colt Gameloft won over 1400m under Callan Murray at odds of 9/1 and in the process proved the worth of the Cat In Command polytrack formline.
Then Frank Robinson’s good run continued through Leven Point, a Fort Wood colt who was always going to be suited by the strong pace in the 1800m race, and converted 5/2 favouritism after finishing strongly under Ian Sturgeon.

Anton Marcus showed his mastery in the ninth, a MR 86 Handicap over 1800m with only six runners. He initially held up the Alec Laird-trained Strongheld gelding Patriotic Rebel but then took it up and stretched them coming up the hill, before staying on strongly to win by 3,75 lengths at odds of 28/10.
The formless Des Egdes-trained Bez Art got into the last over 1800m as a reserve and despite odds of 75/1 and running wide most the way, he displayed a nice stride to give Claassen a double.

Picture: Nkosi Hlophe

She was backed from 4-1 to 16-10 favourite, raced in the first two throughout and drew away from over a furlong out to win easing up and complete a Glen Kotzen-Greg Cheyne treble. Cheyne said: “When I asked her to quicken it was instantaneous. She could be anything but she gives you a classic feel.”

Kotzen , who had complained to Matthew Lips about her 88 rating, added: “The handicapper is probably laughing at me now! She has done hardly any work but she is a super filly and we hope to have her for the good races this season. She looks like a sprinter but we think she will be at least a miler and we are going to look at the Diana Stakes next.”

De Kock, who beat Vodacom Durban July winner Legislate in last year’s Selangor, is on the way back after fracturing his near-fore knee in the Grand Parade Cape Guineas and has been entered for an allowance plate at Kenilworth on Saturday. Brett Crawford said: “He is doing very well but I want to find something a bit nearer the Kuda Insurance Matchem on 4 October. I will see what there is but if the worst comes to the worst we will run on Saturday and treat it as a gallop.”

Blarney Bay definitely sidesteps the race with Mike Robinson explaining: “He has too much weight and he will run instead in a mile handicap at Durbanville on 10 September as he is drawn three. If the ground is a bit firmer by then it will help him to see out the trip but I’m still upset that last Wednesday’s race had to be cancelled because that was his best chance of winning.”

Heartland, Jackson’s full brother who was so impressive on last month’s debut, is one of seven  Justin Snaith entries for the Sophomore Sprint but he will wait for the six week Durbanville stint to end before running again. Snaith said: “We have had too much rain and at the moment the ground is too soft. I will use the interim to school him round the turn.”

Picture: Liesl King

Joey Ramsden said: “He has been doing well and he will run well but he will need a race before he can win.”

The full brother to Red Ray was bought by Markus Jooste for R1.5 million at last year’s CTS Premier Yearling Sale and was then put into the Durbanville Ready To Run Sale in order to qualify him for the R2 million Lanzerac Ready To Run Stakes in November. Jooste had to go R4.5 million to outbid Mike Azzie and Adriaan van Vuuren.

Weichong Marwing makes a rare visit to Kenilworth on Wednesday. Apart from three trips in the 2011/12 season (Met, Queen’s Plate and international jockeys match) it will be his first time at the Cape Town course for seven seasons. Three of his seven booked mounts ran on Saturday but he still has Rebel’s Girl and Boston Celtic for Adam Marcus, Deon Visser’s Interface Ace and Chester’s Wish for Joey Ramsden for whom he won the Majorca on Sarabande ten years ago.

Marcus said: “He hasn’t ridden for me before and the last time he rode one of ours was on Jay Peg in Dubai and the horse was with Herman Brown at that stage. But it will be great to have him.”

A tried and tested points system accounts for 40 per cent of the decision making process, while an expert panel accounts for 30% and readers of two British newspapers, the Daily Telegraph and Racing Post, accounts for the remaining 30%.

Various Gr 1 races are accorded “super category” status and for these events horses are awarded 48 points for winning, 24 for second and 12 for third. The “super category events” are the QIPCO 1000 Guineas, QIPCO 2000 Guineas, Investec Derby, Investec Oaks, Coral-Eclipse Stakes, King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes sponsored by QIPCO, QIPCO Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International, QIPCO Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, QIPCO British Champions Stakes, Prix Ganay, Prix du Haras, Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the QIPCO Irish Champion Stakes, Dubai World Cup Sponsored By Emirates, the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Breeders’ Cup Mile and the Breeders’ Cup Turf

Other Gr1 events in Great Britain, France and Ireland are given 32 points for a win, 16 for second and 8 for third, while Gr 2s are given 16, 8 and 4 and Gr 3s 8, 4 and 2.

Gr 1 and Gr 2s in America, Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore are accorded points that equate to 75% of the points for British Gr 1s, while Gr 3s are given 50% of the corresponding British Gr 3s. Pattern races (Group or Graded) events in other countries are awarded points equating to 50% of points for the American and Australian equivalent.

Using this system the Equus Horse of the Year Legislate would likely have collected 182 points (both of the classics as well as the Vodacom Durban July that he won would probably be accorded “super category” status, and he also had a Gr 2 win and both a Gr 2 and Gr 3 second), Yorker would have collected 144 presuming the Sansui Summer Cup and L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate would be considered “super” events, while Beach Beauty would have collected 132 points.

All of the Equus Award winners of the corresponding Cartier categories would have been on top using the above points system with the exception of the Champion Stayer Hot Ticket and the controversial Champion Two-Year-Old filly Majmu.

In the Stayer category Wavin’ Flag would have earned either 58 or 42 points, depending on whether the eLan Property Group Gold Cup is accorded super status or not, while Hot Ticket would have collected 40 points. Considering the country’s biggest staying event is a handicap, the voting system might have saved the Gold Cup topweight Hot Ticket.

However, the runaway points winner in the Two-Year-Old fillies category would have been Carry On Alice on 64 points and the voting system would unlikely have saved Majmu, who on 24 points would have been the lowest points scorer among the five fillies nominated.

The Equus Awards could benefit from using a similar system to the Cartier one, although the respective gaps between “Super” events and other Gr 1s, and Gr 1s and Gr2s, are not nearly as wide in South Africa as they are in Europe, so the points system would likely need to be adjusted.

The Cartier points system adds plenty of excitement to the season. For example in the current race for Cartier Horse Of The Year, the brilliant John Gosden-trained miler Kingman is out in front on 208 points, while his contemporary Australia is his nearest rival on 140 points.

However, the latter, who is regarded by prolific trainer Aiden O’Brien as the best horse he has ever trained, could still take in three “super” status events, the Irish Champion Stakes in two weekends time at Leopardstown, The Qipco Champion Stakes at Ascot on October 18 and the Breeder’s Cup Turf or Classic on November 1. He is also currently an 8-1 shot for the prestigious Gr 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, but his jockey, the six foot tall Joseph O’Brien, had to lose two pounds in weight to ride him in the  Juddmonte and would have to lose a further pound to ride him in the Arc.

Meanwhile, Kingman is on course for the race that has always been his end of season target, the Gr 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot on October 18. Kingman and Australia have only met once, in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket, and Kingman was victor with Australia beaten 0,6 lengths into third, although the mile is short of the latter’s best trip.

Picture: Kingman – Newbury Racing

Justin never fails to point out that his success relies on a team effort.
In fact, the setup of the Snaith yard is a model that all ambitious trainers could learn from an aspire to.
Justin’s mother Sue explained how it works.
“Justin does the manual work, the training, the horse care and the stable management. He was virtually born in the stable and has had a rapport with animals his whole life. He loves them and has naturally become an outstanding horseman. He went over to Australia as a youngster where he was assistant to the top trainer David Hayes. That gave him a very good grounding and reference. However, the backbone of the yard is really Jonathon (Justin’s older brother). He is the brains behind it and it takes a lot of brains to put it all together. He has a degree in accountancy, so does all the books and the paper work for the Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban yards. His other field of expertise is marketing, so he does all of that, such as the Facebook page, and also takes care of client relations. He always gives 110% and also helps Gaynor Rupert market the L’Ormarin’s Queen’s Plate. Chris and myself fill in the gaps in the yard. We also offer advice and they sometimes take it or sometimes don’t. For the sales, Jonathon, Chris, myself and John Freeman sit down together and select our top 20. We then have them vetted and are hopefully able to buy them. Horses don’t know their cost and the ones we select come at all different prices. In fact Legislate only cost R100,000. Jonathon passed his trainer’s exam exceptionally well, so could be a good trainer in his own right. He has filled in for Justin on occasion. However, the pair of them work together very well as brothers, which is unusual. They get on together like best friends. They have really taken the yard to a new level.”
The Snaiths fell six winners short of the magic 200 mark this past season and four short of their own record of 198 set the previous season.
They will once again be lamenting the harshness of the Cape’s winter weather, for in the previous season a Durbanville meeting was abandoned in the final week and this year the Kenilworth meeting on the last Saturday, for which they had assembled a big team, went the same way.
However, they will no doubt relish the challenge of trying to pass that elusive mark this season and like all champions of their respective professions would not have dwelled on the success of last season for more than a celebratory day or two.
Before the Daily News 2000 meeting at Greyville, Snaith was just over 560,000 clear of his nearest protagonist Geoff Woodruff, and Sean Tarry was hot on their heels.
However, Snaith then won both the Gr 1 Daily News 2000 with Legislate, the Gr 1 Woolavington 2000 with In The Fast Lane and then five weeks later the big one, the Vodacom Durban July, with Legislate.
He ended the season on earnings of R19,490,725, close to R5 million clear of Woodruff.
The yard’s earnings were well short of Mike de Kock’s 2009/2010 season record of R22,191,845.
However, it has traditionally become difficult for non-Highveld based trainers to win the title, as the difficulty of raiding high altitudes means that trainers with Highveld bases tend to have their big money races in the Autumn to themselves.
Justin was recently praised by a colleague in the training ranks for his tremendous capacity for work.
His demeanour at Clairwood during this year’s Champions Season was one of unstinting focus. He was clearly determined to keep the title firmly in his grasp.
Consistently this season he has blamed himself for the disappointing runs of some of his leading horses, and without exception they have bounced back to their best within a run or two.
Like all champions in the sporting world he learns from his mistakes rather than denies them and prefers to accept responsibility rather than make excuses.
Snaith is also able to bounce back from setbacks.
He didn’t dwell for long on the shockingly bad luck his fancied runner Jet Explorer suffered when brought down in the Rising Sun Gold Challenge.
This horse was strongly fancied that day and what made it a lot worse was that it put Snaith’s stable jockey Richard Fourie out for most of the rest of the season, just when it looked possible that he could make a bid for the Jockey’s Championship.
Fourie was a vital party of the Snaith success and, like many South African jockeys before him, matured into the complete rider after a stint in Hong Kong.
He is now truly world class and a sign of his high level of professionalism was that his finely conditioned physique likely prevented any serious long term injury after that shocking fall at Clairwood.
The Snaith’s professional approach could see them gain a grip on the Championship that Mike de Kock, who is concentrating his efforts abroad these days, had over the previous few years and they will be the yard to beat again this season.

Lafferty’s words during the week that having Piere Strydom was always “a big plus” were proved accurate in more ways than one.
Before reaching the start the colt pulled a shoe so awkwardly that it spread outwards and the nails were exposed.
However, the danger of injuring himself was averted by  Strydom’s quick thinking.
Upon looking down and seeing the potential calamity, Strydom immediately jumped off his mount and stood on the shoe, which caused it be pulled off completely.
Before that hiccup the Australian-bred colt had been the outstanding individual in the canter past, as he was unmistakeably in the mint of condition and strode out beautifully with his gliding like action.
Harry’s Son had been most unlucky in both of his previous two starts in the Gr1 Tsogo Sun Medallion over 1200m and the Gr1 Durban Golden Horseshoe over 1400m and his connections might have been excused for thinking history was about to repeat itself.
Horses often don’t return as well after being reshod, but this horse clearly has a superb temperament and he took it in his stride.
Part-owner Phil Georgiou quipped later, “Even Hussain Bolt needs re-spiking!”
KZN’s on course farrier Sean Leslie has a high pressure job, as the re-shodding needs to be done as quickly as possible and he obviously did a fine job in this case.
Harry’s Son settled beautifully in the running in midfield and then showed his usual fantastic turn of foot in the straight.
He kept going strongly after hitting the front and kept challengers on the inside and outside at bay.
The Mike de Kock-trained Jayyed was widely drawn and came from last to run a fine second, beaten just a neck, while his stablemate Anjaal and an unlucky Vaughan Marshall-trained MLJet finished a head further back in joint third. The Glen Kotzen-trained Light The Lights ran a cracker to be just a length back in fifth.
Harry’s Son’s will compete with the other Gr1 male winners, the Dennis Drier-trained Guiness and the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Afrikaburn, for the Equus Champion two-year-old colt/gelding award.
Guiness and Afrikaburn both beat Harry’s Son when winning their respective Gr1s in the Medallion and Golden Horseshoe, but they were both unplaced in their only subsequent Gr1 outings, with Harry’s Son ahead of them. Therefore, Harry’s Son’s two Gr1 thirds will likely swing the scale in his favour.
Afrikaburn went into Saturday’s race unbeaten in three starts, but ran below par and could only manage eighth.
Harry’s Son’s sire Haradasun was a three-time Gr1 winner and among them was a victory in the Queen Anne Stakes over a mile at Royal Ascot.
Bloodstock agent James Bester chose him at a Magic Millions Sale in Australia and Lafferty put the syndicate together.
The owners are Roy Moodley, Phil Georgiou, Mr and Mrs Doug Steyn, DA Maisenbacher, MM Bilro and A Bilro.
Harry’s Son is improving continuously as he strengthens and apparently went into Saturday’s race 15kg heavier than his previous outing.
He looks unlikely to just end up as a precocious two-year-old so a lot more will be heard of him.
Picture: Nkosi Hlophe