Champion! Mike De Kock trains Igugu.
The KwaZulu-Natal horseracing community saluted their champions and achievers at an enjoyable 2010/11 KZN Racing Awards banquet held in the stately surrounds of the Durban Country Club on Thursday 20 October. There were few surprises amongst the winners with most of the recipients engraving their own names on the trophies with outstanding performances on the tracks.
The reigning South African champion trainer Mike De Kock predictably swept the boards with his 2011 Vodacom Durban July winner Igugu picking up the 3 Year Old Filly Of The Year award as well as the prestigious Horse Of The Year title. Igugu’s faithful groom, Lindile Danzi, was acknowledged as the Groom Of The Year, while De Kock was crowned the champion trainer of the holiday province.
The Western Cape had their moment of glory when the Glen Kotzen trained Princess Victoria won the Champion Two Year Old Filly Of The Year award. The multiple Gr1 winner, who runs in the famous Jaffee silks, makes her seasonal debut in the first week of November when she contests the Choice Carriers Cape Fillies Championship.
Var’s champion daughter Val De Ra was the other big female achiever on the night. The Avontuur Stud-bred speedball scooped the Sprinter Of The Year title as well as the Older Filly/Mare award. The sensational multiple Gr1 winner of amongst others, the Computaform Sprint and the SA Fillies Sprint, has won a remarkable 9 of her 10 starts from 1000m to 1300m. She has won on both good and soft going and is currently campaigning in the Western Cape with the Dennis Drier raiding party. The best has yet to be seen of this sensation and we could well see her on an overseas campaign in the near future.
Rising Star! Apprentice Athandiwe Mgudlwa receives his trophy.
SA Jockey Academy Head-Boy Athandiwe Mgudlwa was crowned Champion Apprentice and this put the seal on a wonderful season that saw him becoming the first apprentice jockey in four decades to ride the jackpot. He achieved this feat at Scottsville on 27 February and he is following in big boots-the previous name to achieve this feat being the legend, Michael Roberts.
The Anita Akal Award for acknowledgement of service to the industry was bestowed upon former Gold Circle Chairman, Chris Saunders. The well-known longstanding owner and breeder is credited with having returned Gold Circle to profitability during his tenure and has made a gigantic and passionate contribution to horseracing in the region over many decades.
Duncan Howells’ grey bomber Knight To Remember received the Stayer Of The Year award.The KZN Chapter Challenge 2000 winner ran excellent third places in both the Gr2 Gold Vase and the Gr1 Canon Gold Cup and will be one of the big KZN hopes in the Gauteng Summer Season.The son of local stallion The Sheik appears to be getting better with racing.
Ivan The Great. Fighting Warrior's proud trainer Ivan Moore.
Veteran former Zimbabwean Ivan Moore was on hand to receive the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe winner Fighting Warrior’s award for 2 Year OId Colt/Gelding. The Australian –bred son of Magic Albert runs in the interests of Andy Williams and Singapore-based Fred Crabbia and looks like he has a very bright future.
The Full List of Winners:
2yo Filly:Princess Victoria
2yo Colt/Gelding:Fighting Warrior
3yo Filly:Igugu
3yo Colt/Gelding:The Apache
Older Filly/Mare:Val De Ra
Older Colt/Gelding:August Rush
Stayer:Knight To Remember
Anita Akal Award:Chris Saunders
Apprentice Jockey:Anthandiwe Mgudlwa
KZN Jockey:Anthony Delpech
KZN Breeder:Scott Bros
Owner of the Year:Ingrid and Markus Jooste
KZN Trainer:Mike de Kock
Horse of the Year:Igugu
Groom of the Year:Lindile Danzi
We salute and congratulate all the winners on their fine achievement and thank them for their contribution to the sport.
