Our thoughts and prayers are with commentator Rouvaun Smit and his family this evening.
Cape Racing’s ‘Golden Voice’ suffered a fracture of his spine in a fall at his home this morning and is undergoing emergency surgery this evening at the Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont.
Rouvaun’s wife Rachelle told the Sporting Post that surgeons would be performing what is in essence a life-saving operation, and thanked the racing industry for the expressions of interest and kindness throughout the day.
One of the larger-than-life characters of the game, and a popular feature of Cape racing for 27 years, the 53 year old Rouvaun has called champions from Hollywoodbets Durbanville and Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, to one of the world’s greatest racemeetings at the historic Epsom Racecourse in Britain.
The born-and-bred Capetonian was the first international racecaller invited to Dubai, the year of Meydan’s champagne opening.
Rouvaun has also had the crowd on the edge of their seats at the Champ de Mars in Mauritius.
In a twist of irony, the former radio broadcaster has been looking forward to attending the Dubai World Cup later this month, and to joining his friend and colleague Shaheen Shaw on a shopping spree in Bangkok thereafter.
That won’t be happening as he now fights to regain his health.
We wish Rachelle, Davin and Lyndall everything of the best.
How life changes in the blink of an eye.