South African horseracing has produced many legends during its existence and former Cape jockey Garth Puller forms part of that elite group. Garth enjoyed an illustrious career in the saddle, with the obvious highlights being his two July wins aboard the great Bush Telegraph and Over The Air.
About five years ago he decided to call time on his four-decade spanning career. He then assisted his Hollywood-sponsored brother Glen with running the satellite yard at Clairwood and being the great horseman he is, he achieved immediate success and soon had the backing of some well-respected owners. Wednesday, 01 August, 2012, marked a new era in the life of Garth as he sent out his first runners under his own name after recently taking out his trainer’s licence. Hardly surprisingly, in his first meeting as a licenced trainer, on his home track at Clairwood, he sent out five runners and saddled a double on the eight-race programme.
In the fourth race of the day, a fillies and mares handicap over 1450m, Garth sent out Foreign Gal (28/10) who was ridden by the newly crowned champion jockey Anton Marcus. Marcus sat patiently aboard the daughter of Kahal into the strong headwind and when he asked her the question inside the final furlong, she drew off to win by a length and a half at the wire. An afterwards elated Anton, had just as much emotion as he had when winning the title a day earlier. He later remarked, “Firstly, let me just congratulate Garth on his first winner in his own capacity as a trainer. I’m just so glad that I was able to do it. It would have pissed me off if another jockey rode their first winner for Garth or Garth’s first winner. Garth’s just been such a massive supporter of mine from the time I was in the Academy. It means a lot to me.”
In the post-race interview, Garth was his usual cool, calm and collected self as he thanked Anton and the owner Mr. Fitzgerald. Things were to get even better for Garth as in the sixth race, a competitive merit rated 93 handicap over a mile, his representative Ice Machine quickened smartly to record an emphatic win, despite coming off a three and a half month break. The son of Silvano has always been highly rated by Puller and with this win he showed exactly why.
Winning Form caught up with Garth the next morning and he added the following, “To be honest, it was just another day at the office. It was very nice though that it was for two doyennes of KZN racing in Richard Fitzgerald and Roy Meaker. The difference of course is that the cheques now go into my account. I am training horses for the love of the horse and to find the champions with ability who I can get the best out of.”
Winning Form and Hollywoodbets.net would like to congratulate Garth on achieving yet another milestone in his career. In true Hollywood spirit, the bookmaking franchise will now also sponsor the Garth Puller Racing Stables, in addition to the Cape based Glen Puller yard. For any new prospective owners wishing to send horses to a great horseman i.e. Garth Puller, you can contact him on 083 9255 252.
