Justin Snaith was crowned SA Champion trainer for the sixth time and enjoyed the honour of celebrating his seventh SA Horse Of The Year title, courtesy of the outstanding Eight On Eighteen, as South African horseracing and breeding personalities gathered to celebrate the past season’s stars at the Equus Awards held at Hollywoodbets Greyville in Durban on Thursday evening.

The sport is about horses and people and an evening of glitz and glamour in the beautifully appointed The Silver Ring formed the backdrop as opponents on the track, and in the breeding paddocks, mingled and shared the golden thread of a love and passion for the horse, while celebrating the equine stars and human champions of a glorious season.

There was no surprise as polished MC Alistair Cohen announced the Drakenstein Stud-bred Eight On Eighteen as the winner of the prestigious SA Horse Of The Year award. The treble Grade 1-winner was the standout sophomore last season, and lost no credit when going down narrowly to the year older The Real Prince in the Hollywoodbets Durban July, his final start as a 3yo.

Raced by Nick Jonsson and Johann Rupert, Eight On Eighteen was also crowned Champion 3yo Male and Middle Distance Horse, and he remains an exciting prospect with the 2026 Gr1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate and Gr1 Cape Town Met his targets, with an overseas campaign a possibility thereafter.

A special award was presented to Eight On Eighteen’s Groom Philip Sengeza, who drew rousing applause after a moving speech that demonstrated his passion and love of his champion charge.

After another outstanding season, Drakenstein Stud was named Champion Breeders for the second time, and in addition to Eight On Eighteen’s three trophies, the Rupert’s nursery of champions also drank a celebratory toast to the exported One Stripe’s Champion Miler award.

The son of One World is now based at trainer Graham Motion’s Fair Hill Training Centre in Maryland.  One Stripe won six races in the care of trainer Vaughan Marshall, with his CV including sensational victories in the Hollywoodbets Gr1 Cape Guineas and the L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate from only nine starts, for career earnings of close on R4,2-million. The $2 million FanDuel Breeders’ Cup Mile on 1 November at Del Mar will be One Stripe’s main target this year.

The stirring reception for the Special Achievement Awards handed to two champion sons of the Eastern Cape, endorsed the popularity and enormous esteem and respect which Piere Strydom and Alan Greeffcommand in their respective disciplines.

An international competitor, Piere Strydom bowed out of an illustrious career in the saddle at the age of 59 on the last day of the 2024/25 season.

A gentleman of the game, ‘Striker’ Strydom closed the chapter on an extraordinary riding career that spanned 43 years, six national championship titles, over 5600 winners, including 97 Grade 1 successes. The living legend said that he had so many people to thank and added emotionally that he was grateful and appreciative of having been able to choose to step down, a choice many riders have not had the privilege, in what is a dangerous profession.

Multiple Eastern Cape Champion trainer Alan Greeff enjoyed an extraordinary season of feature successes across South Africa.

While he put the cherry on the top with Golden Palm’s runaway victory in the Gr1 Douglas Whyte Stakes on the final major day of last term, Greeff’s away feature successes included the Gr1 Allan Robertson Championship at Hollywoodbets Scottsville and the Gr3 SplashOut Good Hope Nursery at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, both won by Direct Hit.

He also enjoyed his first Hollywoodbets Durban July day success when the unbeaten Anotherdanceforme won the SplashOut Gr2 Golden Slipper. Golden Palm’s victory in the Douglas Whyte crowned her Turffontein Gr2 Wilgerbosdrift SA Nursery victory, to bookend a glorious season for Halo Stables.

The Varsfontein Stud-bred Golden Palm was crowned Champion 2yo Filly on a special evening for owner Peter Moor and the Greeff family!

Varsfontein Stud celebrated a second champion on the evening when Double Grand Slam won the Champion Older Filly/Mare title. A winner of the Cartier Gr1 Paddock Stakes and Ridgemont Gr1 Garden Province Stakes, the daughter of Vercingetorix will stay on in training this season, with ‘unfinished business’ at hand, in the words of trainer Justin Snaith.

Father-and-son Mike and Mathew de Kock have only been training in partnership for six months, and were delighted to share their maiden Equus trophy courtesy of World Pool Moment Of The Day Gr1 Premier’s Champion Stakes winner Jan Van Goyen who was awarded Champion 2yo Male. The son of Master Of My Fate is raced by passionate life-long owner Henk Leyenaar in partnership with his daughters Daniela Erasmus and Louisa Huntingford.

Dean Kannemeyer enjoyed his fourth Hollywoodbets Durban July victory last month when Khaya Stables’ The Real Prince achieved a career peak success, but it was in the Champion Sprinter category that the Milnerton maestro and his loyal clients received their 2025 Equus moment via superstar speed demon, Gimme A Prince.

A full-brother to the younger The Real Prince, Gimme A Prince ran only five times last season, for a third in the L’Ormarins Gr1 King’s Plate and victories in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and Gr2 Diadem Stakes.

A dual Gr1 winner last term, New Predator’s daughter Fatal Flaw, bred by leading owner Laurence Wernars, was crowned Champion 3yo Filly, while Gareth van Zyl’s top notch Duke Of Marmalade gelding King Pelleswas a shoo-in for the Champion Stayer title!

In a glorious moment for a relatively small yard, Summerveld trainer Stuart Ferrie crowned only his second full season with the Erasmus Thoroughbreds-bred Gladatorian winning the Champion Older Colt/ Gelding award. The winner of the HKJC Gr1 Champions Cup is raced by a Mauritian partnership of the Late Agasthamuni Gujadhur, E G Hart de Keating, M L Jean Hardy and now retired Gold Circle CEO, Michel Nairac.

In a soaring rise from humble beginnings with a first winner at the Equus venue over 20 years ago, Hollywood Racing celebrated a maiden Champion Owner title after a stellar season under the management of former multiple champion jockey Anthony Delpech. The team enjoyed winners countrywide, and clearly have another exciting season, both locally and internationally, ahead of them.

A high work-rate, plenty of travelling and dedication to keeping his eye on the prize saw Gavin Lerena mark his second SA Champion Jockey title. Lerena rode 277 winners last term at a strike-rate of 24,8% and total stakes of R36 724 998 to beat reigning record-breaking champion Richard Fourie by 18 wins.

A rising star on the SA racing landscape, Brevan Plaatjies proudly received his Champion Apprentice title, crediting his move to the Cape in April as a major factor in his growth. One of five children, the former Ixopo schoolboy became a jockey when a family member suggested the career choice. The 20 year old admits that he has never looked back!

The competitive Media awards categories again provided some serious consideration and reflection for the judges.

But it was the well-travelled KZN-based Candiese Lenferna who came out tops in the Still Photography section for the third time, while veteran Gary Lemke’s feature on record-breaker Richard Fourie in the ‘378 Tribute’ magazine secured him the Print accolade.

The Broadcast Media award attracted a number of high-class submissions, and it was Emma Finney who accepted her first Equus trophy for her well-crafted production of ‘Charles Dickens’, which told the story of the champion racehorse.

As the final curtain came down on a glittering evening of spirited celebration and camaraderie, MC Alistair Cohen bid guests farewell with a message: “Keep loving the sport. It will love you back.”

We couldn’t have said it better. Thanks to the judges and congratulations to all the winners and nominees. Here’s to another superb season!

THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS

TWO-YEAR-OLD FILLY:

Nominees: Anotherdanceforme; Direct Hit; Golden Palm

Champion: GOLDEN PALM

TWO-YEAR-OLD MALE:

Nominees: Good For You; Jan Van Goyen

Champion: JAN VAN GOYEN

THREE-YEAR-OLD FILLY:

Nominees: Fatal Flaw; Fiery Pegasus; Mom Petit Cherie; Quid Pro Quo; Spumante Dolce

Champion: FATAL FLAW

THREE-YEAR-OLD MALE:

Nominees: Eight On Eighteen; One Stripe

Champion: EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN

SPRINTER:

Nominees: Buffalo Storm Cody; Gimme A Prince; Mia Moo; Tenango; William Robertson

Champion: GIMME A PRINCE

MILER:

Nominees: Cosmic Speed; Dave The King; Double Grand Slam; One Stripe

Champion: ONE STRIPE

MIDDLE DISTANCE:

Nominees: Eight On Eighteen; Fire Attack; Gladatorian; The Real Prince

Champion: EIGHT ON EIGHTEEN

STAYER:

Nominee: King Pelles

Champion: KING PELLES

OLDER FEMALE:

Nominees: Asiye Phambili; Double Grand Slam; Mia Moo; Rascova

Champion: DOUBLE GRAND SLAM

OLDER MALE:

Nominees: Dave The King; Gimme A Prince; Gladatorian, The Real Prince

Champion: GLADATORIAN

CHAMPION STALLION:

Vercingetorix

CHAMPION BROODMARE:

Real Princess

(Trippi-Pagan Princess by Fort Wood)

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS:

Alan Greeff

Piere Strydom

MEDIA AWARDS:

Print Media: Gary Lemke

Still Photography: Candiese Lenferna

Broadcast Media: Emma Finney

HUMAN AWARDS:

Champion Apprentice: Brevan Plaatjies

Champion Jockey: Gavin Lerena

Champion Trainer: Justin Snaith

Champion Owners: Hollywood Racing (Nom: Mr A Delpech)

Champion Breeders: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert)

HORSE OF THE YEAR:

Eight On Eighteen

Groom: Philip Thengeza

Owners: Mr N Jonsson & Mr JP Rupert

Breeders: Drakenstein Stud (Nom: Mrs G A Rupert)