Glen Kotzen
After a patient twelve year wait for the opportunity of opening a satellite yard in Port Elizabeth, Paarl based trainer Glen Kotzen was quickly off the mark last Friday at Fairview when his third runner opened the stable account.
The Almushtarak gelding Albarakah may not be the easiest name to pronounce for the salt of the earth local commentator Bumpie Schoeman, and the horse’s double figure starting price was no fun either for punters, but Kotzen grabbed the ice breaking victory in the fifth race with open arms.
Kendall Mienie rode the 5yo who was bred by Glen’s mother in law Judy Wintle, out of her top broodmare Dollar Crisis, the dam of the family’s ill fated Durban July winner, Big City Life.
The Woodhill Racing Team is a family racing and breeding operation based out at Agter Paarl, in what is one of the most beautiful regions of the Cape. A thrilled Kotzen, who was on hand to lead in his winner, said that he was excited by the diverse options that his Fairview satellite base would lend to his business.
“Fairview offers two racing surfaces with the installation of the Polytrack late last year and this will give our clients the opportunity of optimising the performance and ability of their horses. There are other important advantages in terms of handicapping and programming and this makes PE an attractive destination for a wide range of horses. My 18 boxes couldn’t have come at a more opportune time and we are looking forward to the opportunity,” he said. Kotzen went on to say that competitive and fit horses together with skilled and dependable personnel were the key to success and he announced the appointment of Lunga Gila, who has joined him from the stable of trainer Mitch Wiese.
“Lunga has a wealth of knowledge and experience and is a qualified assistant trainer, who started his career with Mitch and has been working in the stable yard as a stable employee for 11 years, since his teens. He is a well known person in the local racing fraternity and joins us as a highly recommended and respected horseman. His appointment was supported by the local Stipendiary Stewards and many top quality racing people. We are of the opinion that Lunga’s involvement will enhance the diversity and skills spectrum and further strengthen our policy of equal opportunity for all. We are thus proud to afford him the platform to uplift and further his career and have no doubt that he will be an asset to our operation,” he said. Kotzen added that Mitch Wiese would oversee operations for the initial three months. Other Cape trainers with satellite bases in Port Elizabeth are Justin Snaith and Mike Bass and Kotzen’s arrival will add to the mix of the fastest developing and most exciting and interesting racing jurisdiction in the country.
