MARK KHAN

The Gold Circle Jockey Award for the month has been bestowed on Mark Khan.

Race riding is a dangerous game and back in 2010 injuries received in a fall resulted in Mark announcing his retirement from the sport he loved and which had brought him great success including five Champion Jockey titles.

A career that saw him riding for some of the country’s top stables and winning many of the leading races, he also rode successfully in a number of countries overseas which made his forced retirement all that harder. But he stayed close to racing as a racing manager and at the start of the season in August 2017 he was granted his riding license again.

Back in the saddle he is displaying his former talent with success and while Anton Marcus continues to dominate wherever he rides, Mark had a great month in January riding eight winners with another 14 of his mounts finishing in the money.

Good to have you back Mark and well done.

GARETH WRIGHT

The Gold Circle Jockey Award for the month has been bestowed on Gareth Wright

Top jockey Anton Marcus continued his brilliant run of success adding another 12 winners to his KwaZulu-Natal tally during the month, getting some of his mounts home even when they appeared on the brink of defeat.

The battle for top honours behind him was tough and close and all of Keagan De Melo. Warren Kennedy, Gareth Wright, Stuart Randolph and Sean Veale were getting a fair share of the winners.

Gareth had one of the best months of his career with eight winners which came from a number of stables that are increasingly calling on his services with his wins coming at close to a 20% wins-rides rate.

Gareth began his education at Maritzburg College before moving to the Jockey Academy and a riding career that included a period as live-in apprentice to the Justin Snaith stable where he was also fortunate to receive guidance from legendary jockey Felix Coetzee.

Many of his rides and successes have been for the Andre Nel stable which also had a good month in December.

Well done Gareth

ANTON MARCUS

Anton Marcus is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the month.

It may be said that Anton gets all the best rides and for him to top the winner’s log for the month is nothing really to get excited about. But, for any jockey to get nearly 50% of his rides across the line first in one month is exceptional and if not a record, then very close to one.

Making the achievement even more remarkable is that it was not just a case of two out of four rides which is well within the scope of any jockey, but during November, in addition to his rides in other centres, Anton partnered 42 horses and steered 19 – 45.24% – into the winner’s box with eight of his other rides finishing in the placings.

That was an outstanding achievement and more than worthy of the award.

Well done Anton.

WARREN KENNEDY

The Gold Circle Jockey Award for the month goes to Warren Kennedy

Dedication and perseverance have been part of everyday life for Warren who has stuck to his guns over the years in a tough business where he has had to compete against some of the greatest jockeys this country has produced including some that have proven themselves among the best in the world.

His reputation as a rider that does his best on every horse he partners now sees him sought after by many stables and during October threw a leg over 60 horses – 11 more than any other jockey – and steered 11 of those into the winner’s enclosure to top the jockey table for the province.

In addition, Warren is having success in other centres and is currently sixth on the National Jockey Log.

Well done Warren

APPRENTICE LUKE FERRARIS

The Gold Circle Jockey Award for the month has been bestowed on apprentice Luke Ferraris

South Africa’s newest racing sensation, Luke Ferraris has the royal blue blood of South African racing running strongly through his veins being the grandson of legendary trainer Ormond Ferraris and son of top trainer David Ferraris who plies his trade in the East.

However, racing has shown that the right blood does not necessarily produce a champion and many hopefuls have failed.

Not with young Luke though. The young man has taken racing by storm to the extent that during the month he was engaged to ride in no less than 62 races – more than any other rider including some of the country’s leading jockeys. And he made the most of those opportunities finishing second to Anton Marcus on the KwaZulu-Natal jockey log with 11 winners and 12 placings with a win-place success strike rate of close to 40%.

It was a great performance for a young rider and more than worthy of the monthly award.

Well done Luke

KEAGAN DE MELO

Keagan rode 8 winners during this month from 46 rides. He also had 6 seconds, 1 third and 4 fourths. He is a young man that goes about his business in a quiet and professional manner and his results speak for themselves. He has been travelling a lot recently and is clearly a young jockey that must be followed.

Well done Keagan and keep up the sterling riding.

BERNARD FAYD’HERBE

Bernard has been awarded the Gold Circle Jockey of the month for June 2018. He rode 7 winners from only 33 rides and notched up an impressive 51% wins and places strike rate. This top rider can only ride at a certain weight and is always competitive and no stranger to the winners enclosure, especially in the Graded races.

Well done Bernard!

ASHTON ARRIES

Apprentice Jockey Ashton Arries rode 42 horses for the month notching up 6 winners and 15 places. His total stake money earned was R550350-00 – during this month Ashton also lost his claim as an apprentice and also suffered a fall riding Dancing With Tatum at Greyville and had to step down from several of his rides – despite this he still managed to rack up some impressive stats and achievements.

Well done Ashton.

Keagan De Melo

Keagan De Melo is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for January 2018.

One of the hardest working jockeys on the circuit, commuting between the Highveld and KZN, Keagan won eight races at a winning strike rate of 20% and total stake earnings of over R578K.

Congratulations Keagan.

DENIS SCHWARZ

Anthony Delpech and Anton Marcus were the leading riders in KZN during December but apprentice Denis Schwarz had an exceptional month, booting home nine winners and is Gold Circle’s Jockey of the Month for December.

Well Done Denis!