DEREK RAMSAY & JODY MARTIN

Gold Circle’s owner of the month for January is Derek Ramsay & Jody Martin
Relatively new to racehorse ownership but interested in the sport and in various ways connected for many years, Derek and Jody enjoyed success with two of the horses in which they are involved during the month, Auction King and Wildcat Rising.

Derek has been a friend of trainer Paul Lafferty since their primary school days and in recent years has been involved on a part-time basis in the administration of the stable. In 2009 he became involved in five horses in the stable.

He then bought into the two above individuals and enjoyed his first winner with Auction King in January. He is now again involved in five horses including a mare at stud.

Jody, the nephew of well-known owner Derek Martin, has “always been interested in racing” but it was only 18 months ago at his sister’s birthday party that he was talked into becoming an owner and bought into Auction King and Wildcat Rising. He is also involved with Stone Reeves which gave him his first winner and which has now been moved to Kimberley and another horse which is racing in Cape Town.

Well done Derek and Jody.

MARY LILEY

The Gold Circle Owner of the Month award for the month has been bestowed on Mary Liley

One of the most successful lady owners in South African racing, Mary was granted her colours way back in 1960 and has owned many top horses that featured prominently in the country’s major races.

Her late husband John Liley, whom she married in 1970, played a major role in her racing ownership which included Bold Monarch that in 1977 ran second in each of South Africa’s three major events, the J&B Met, the Rothmans July and the Holliday Inns. She also owned Sleek Machine that ran second to London News in the July in 1996, as well as top horses like Sun Monarch, Royal Play and Be Noble.

When establishing the Noble Park training centre at Summerveld, she owned about 100 horses but has trimmed her string down to about 20 horses which are trained by Tony Rivalland.

During the month two of her three runners, Kadeze and Lucky Break, won their races and she was voted by Gold Circle as the owner of the month.

For Mary, the beauty of the thoroughbred and the challenge of trying to be successful is her motivation and while she featured prominently in the racing industry for many years, she admits that at the beginning, when her first horse Actus continued to run places and not win, as a somewhat shy individual, “I was happy because if it had won, I would have had to lead it in.”

Well done Mary.

ROY MOODLEY

Personal info to follow…!

DUNCAN HOWELLS

Ashburton based trainer Duncan Howells landed his first KZN Trainer’s Championship this season, a feature of which was his consistent strike-rate.

However, he also had good success as an owner and owned outright or had shares in five of his winners in the final month of the season. Home-bred Chartwell was a winner on the Greyville polytrack while Duncan also had shares in The Helmsman, who won twice during the month of July, as did his Gr1 winning filly Same Jurisdiction who won the KZN Million Mile and the Gr1 Thekwini Stakes.

Duncan praised his co-owners and also the other owners in his yard. Without their support we would be nothing. It’s a touch ironic that a trainer is nominated owner of the month but it’s tough putting horses together in this economic climate and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take up the slack.

“Cathy does a great job picking yearlings so we always have faith.”

Well done Duncan and Cathy.

ALESH NAIDOO

From punter to owner and a string of about 50 horses in just three years is the racing story of Alesh Naidoo who is “waiting for my 90th winner” which he believes will come in the near future.

“I love the game of racing and I used to be an avid punter. But then I decided to become an owner and together with my friends I began buying horses three years ago.

“Up to now I have had 89 winners and I’m waiting for my 90th. My family is not involved it’s just me and I choose all my own horses.

“At the last National Sale I bought a full sister to Legislate and a half-sister to Futura by Fort Wood. I have not branched out into breeding but my mare Rapid Flow is in foal to Kahal.”

During the month Alesh had three winners with Dylan’s Promise, Warcraft and Asmiral’s Eye.

A great contributor to the sport of racing – well done Alesh.

JACK MITCHELL

The Gold Circle Owner Award for the month of May has been bestowed on Jack Mitchell.

Having been associated with racing most of his life with both his father and mother keen horseracing enthusiasts – his father the part owner of the great William Penn – Jack acquired his first racehorse back in 1970 and quipped that the sport was part of his DNA.

Owner, with his daughter Nancy, of two of the most exciting three-year-olds in the country in Legislate and Futura, Jack is no stranger to really top horses having owned over the years runners like 14-time winner Young Captain, Rising Sun Gold Challenge winner Ivory Coast, Roman Charger and the magnificent equine specimen Jackson.

During the month Jack won the KRA Guineas and the Daily News 2000 with his star colt Legislate and the Betting World 1900 Consolation race with Futura. Legislate is the ruling favourite for the Vodacom Durban July.
“I just love racing, I caught the disease. I am not a punter I just love the horses and racing is the greatest escapism.”

He said Futura was in perfect condition after his third place in the Grade 3 Cup Trial and he was not concerned whether the colt got into the Vodacom Durban July or not. His only concern was that the best interests of the horse were taken care of.

After the initial effect that the casinos and lottery had on racing he believed that racing in South Africa had turned the corner and was on an upward trend. He currently owned about 10 yearlings and another 10 in racing and his involvement and success is worthy of the award.

Well done Jack.

FRED CRABBIA

Fred, one of the biggest owners of thoroughbred horses in the country, is also one of the most popular members of the South African racing community which he entered about 35 years ago through the encouragement of a friend.

He now owns about 120 horses which he races not only here in South Africa but in Singapore and Malaysia and is the proud owner of the international superstar Rocket Man.

“I was not really interested but a friend said I should get one horse and see how it goes.”

And he really has given it a go, with the bug biting he has become involved in breeding as well and racing the horses he breeds.

“But I have decided to give up the breeding side and I am cutting back on the number of horses I am involved in. I haven’t got the time to study pedigrees and I have decided to concentrate on the racing side and reduce my string to about 20 or 25 and buying horses at the sales.”

He said he does not know how many winners he has had over the years but has been very lucky in recent years and has some very nice horses, including the two-year-old Harry Lime, which makes the year ahead very exciting. “I am really looking forward to the rest of the season.”

During the month of April Fred enjoyed four winners, Clipperton Island and De La Danza at Clairwood and German Lady and Harry Lime at Scottsville.

Harry Lime is a very exciting young horse and I am looking forward to see how he goes in the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion at Scottsville.

Well done Fred.