Justin Snaith was officially crowned National Champion trainer when the season closed on Tuesday. Snaith led for much of the season on his way to his second championship, finishing R6 million ahead of reigning champion Sean Tarry.
The Championship is judged on stakes won and Snaith runners, that included 162 winners, earned R26 794 988. Tarry had 138 winners and his runners earned R20 522 775.
Justin Snaith
Mike de Kock finished third with Brett Crawford in fourth place.
The unfortunate fall that side-lined Anthony Delpech for the final three months of the season left the door open for apprentice Lyle Hewitson who took full toll. Hewitson racked up 184 winners in a memorable season that saw him land the National Jockey’s Championship as an apprentice, emulating the legendary Michael Roberts who was the last apprentice to win the National Championship.
Muzi Yeni finished a clear second on 149 winners and Aldo Domeyer edged out Delpech for third by just a single winner with Greg Cheyne, two back in fifth.
The battle between Domeyer and Cheyne went down to the last race meeting of the season with the pair fighting it out for a place on the three-man South African team to take part in the Singapore Jockey’s International taking place on September 25. Domeyer will join Hewitson and Yeni.
Naturally, Hewitson also took the National Apprentice title with Denis Schwarz and Ashton Arries in second and third places respectively.
Sun Met and Woolavington 2000 winner Oh Susanna was the leading stakes earner followed by Undercover Agent and Vodacom Durban July winner Do It Again.
In sixth place was Yulong Prince, the re-named Surcharge, who will resume his racing career in Hong Kong.
The race for the National Breeders Championship was again a close-run thing but reigning champions Klawervlei Stud retained their title from perennial rivals Summerhill Stud.
By Andrew Harrison
| Name | Runs | Wins | Win% | 2nd | 3rd | Other | Places | Place% | Win Stake | Total Stake |
| * Mr L Hewitson (APPRENTICE) | 1471 | 184 | 12.5 | 186 | 156 | 334 | 676 | 46 | 12,560,000 | 20,168,963 |
| Mr M A Yeni | 1447 | 149 | 10.3 | 164 | 190 | 309 | 663 | 45.8 | 11,494,938 | 18,108,375 |
| Mr A Domeyer | 695 | 137 | 19.7 | 107 | 96 | 152 | 355 | 51.1 | 8,698,750 | 13,732,220 |
| Mr A C Delpech | 527 | 136 | 25.8 | 98 | 59 | 83 | 240 | 45.5 | 9,708,063 | 14,482,075 |
| Mr G M Cheyne | 801 | 135 | 16.9 | 110 | 118 | 168 | 396 | 49.4 | 6,932,375 | 11,242,150 |
| Mr C Murray | 940 | 120 | 12.8 | 102 | 90 | 140 | 332 | 35.3 | 8,083,125 | 12,584,325 |
| Mr R D Fourie | 668 | 119 | 17.8 | 82 | 92 | 128 | 302 | 45.2 | 8,871,125 | 13,203,963 |
| Mr K de Melo | 1020 | 114 | 11.2 | 123 | 112 | 199 | 434 | 42.5 | 7,480,625 | 12,693,845 |
| Mr G van Niekerk | 552 | 107 | 19.4 | 82 | 68 | 117 | 267 | 48.4 | 15,718,125 | 19,106,325 |
| Mr R Munger | 1334 | 107 | 8 | 100 | 109 | 248 | 457 | 34.3 | 5,219,088 | 8,777,038 |
Top 10 apprentices
| Name | Runs | Wins | Win% | 2nd | 3rd | Other | Places | Place% | Win Stake | Total Stake |
| Mr L Hewitson | 1470 | 184 | 12.5 | 186 | 156 | 334 | 676 | 46 | 12,560,000 | 20,168,963 |
| Mr D W Schwarz | 722 | 50 | 6.9 | 40 | 75 | 112 | 227 | 31.4 | 2,837,500 | 4,651,625 |
| Mr A Arries | 421 | 45 | 10.7 | 45 | 46 | 62 | 153 | 36.3 | 2,545,000 | 4,036,325 |
| Serino Moodley | 424 | 31 | 7.3 | 24 | 36 | 92 | 152 | 35.8 | 1,690,000 | 2,780,275 |
| Mr L J Ferraris | 224 | 26 | 11.6 | 14 | 18 | 41 | 73 | 32.6 | 1,738,750 | 2,368,850 |
| Mr D de Gouveia | 287 | 22 | 7.7 | 25 | 20 | 49 | 94 | 32.8 | 1,225,000 | 2,051,850 |
| Mr D R Lerena | 264 | 22 | 8.3 | 19 | 14 | 41 | 74 | 28 | 1,226,875 | 1,827,475 |
| Mr E Ngwane | 350 | 16 | 4.6 | 20 | 25 | 57 | 102 | 29.1 | 934,375 | 1,800,125 |
| Mr S Mbhele | 188 | 16 | 8.5 | 13 | 24 | 34 | 71 | 37.8 | 885,000 | 1,453,725 |
| Mr M Mjoka | 485 | 13 | 2.7 | 25 | 28 | 65 | 118 | 24.3 | 710,625 | 1,589,900 |
Top 10 Trainer
| Name | Runs | Wins | Win% | 2nd | 3rd | Other | Places | Place% | Win Stake | Total Stake |
| Mr S J Snaith | 1154 | 162 | 14 | 135 | 121 | 240 | 496 | 43 | 18,806,250 | 26,794,988 |
| Mr S G Tarry | 1269 | 138 | 10.9 | 127 | 121 | 247 | 495 | 39 | 13,445,000 | 20,522,775 |
| Mr M F de Kock | 766 | 131 | 17.1 | 84 | 77 | 150 | 311 | 40.6 | 11,207,688 | 16,308,058 |
| Mr B J Crawford | 739 | 101 | 13.7 | 97 | 79 | 147 | 323 | 43.7 | 7,813,000 | 12,379,188 |
| Mr A C Greeff | 1020 | 148 | 14.5 | 127 | 108 | 213 | 448 | 43.9 | 7,100,250 | 10,669,525 |
| Mrs C L Bass-Robinson | 934 | 98 | 10.5 | 99 | 112 | 190 | 401 | 42.9 | 5,814,375 | 10,463,900 |
| Mr P A Peter | 634 | 88 | 13.9 | 52 | 55 | 104 | 211 | 33.3 | 6,022,500 | 9,145,720 |
| Mr G S Kotzen | 821 | 80 | 9.7 | 73 | 73 | 148 | 294 | 35.8 | 5,419,250 | 8,985,000 |
| Messrs M G Azzie & A A Azzie | 498 | 61 | 12.2 | 63 | 50 | 87 | 200 | 40.2 | 5,279,375 | 8,583,600 |
| Mr J A Janse van Vuuren | 477 | 67 | 14 | 62 | 54 | 89 | 205 | 43 | 5,083,750 | 7,676,970 |
Top 10 horses by stakes earned (restricted races excluded)
| Name | Runs | Wins | Win% | 2nd | 3rd | Other | Places | Place% | Win Stake | Total Stake |
| Oh Susanna (AUS) | 6 | 3 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 50 | 4,100,000 | 4,312,375 |
| Undercover Agent | 11 | 5 | 45.5 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 36.4 | 3,860,000 | 4,220,000 |
| Do It Again | 7 | 3 | 42.9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 42.9 | 2,917,500 | 3,257,500 |
| Dutch Philip | 9 | 1 | 11.1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 44.4 | 2,987,500 | 3,113,100 |
| Coral Fever | 9 | 2 | 22.2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 55.6 | 2,650,000 | 3,085,000 |
| Yulong Prince | 9 | 5 | 55.6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 44.4 | 1,625,000 | 2,695,000 |
| Legal Eagle | 6 | 3 | 50 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 50 | 1,812,500 | 2,115,500 |
| Snowdance | 7 | 3 | 42.9 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 57.1 | 1,500,000 | 2,016,000 |
| Magical Wonderland | 7 | 2 | 28.6 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 71.4 | 309,375 | 1,466,875 |
| Nother Russia | 8 | 3 | 37.5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 62.5 | 956,250 | 1,449,250 |
