The red hot Gavin Lerena made it a happy Human Rights Day at Turffontein on Thursday when he booted home five favourites in front of an enthusiastic public holiday crowd.
Gavin Lerena – worth following at Turffontein on Saturday (Pic – JC Photos)
The 33 year old Lerena is currently riding at an impressive 27,43% win strike-rate and is lying fourth on the SA National log. He won the SA champion title in 2014/15 and is riding at peak performance.
On Thursday his six rides delivered five winners and a third placed finish in the final race of the afternoon.
Lerena kicked off his red letter afternoon in Race 1 with 7-20 hot-pot favourite Ehsaan for the Mike de Kock yard.
In Race 2 it was Captain’s Alpha at 5-2 for Candice Dawson, followed by Johan Janse van Vuuren-trained Jacko’s Boy at 26-10 in Race 4, David Nieuwenhuizen’s Chevron at 16-10 in Race 5 and Paul Peter’s Bold Coast at 18-10 in Race 7.
Lerena entered the SA Jockey Academy at the age of 17 and rode his first winner on Waves Of Argosy for Jeff Freedman over 1100m at Clairwood at jus his ninth ride. The same horse also gave Gavin his second win, 11 rides and 23 days later at Greyville.
His milestones to date include achieving a SA record of 283 wins as an apprentice and the SA record of 42 wins in a calendar month in June 2015. He was also Zimbabwe champion in 2011-12 as well as SA champion apprentice 2004-5, 2005-6 and 2006-7.
He represented SA in five local international jockeys’ challenges, scoring the most points in 2009.
He was the 2015 LONGINES International Jockeys’ Challenge winner in Hong Kong and achieved a second in the Shergar Cup at Ascot, England.
Gavin has 5 rides at Turffontein on Saturday.
