The Sporting Post has learnt that Gold Circle will honour the memory of a late legend of the saddle at the Hollywoodbets Greyville racemeeting on Friday evening 31 January.
The 1981 Durban July winning rider Jimmy Anderson passed away at the King Edward Hospital on the evening of Sunday 22 December 2019.
He was 71 and had been ill for some time.
Big Charles wins the 1981 Gr1 Rothmans July
Described as one of the greatest judges of pace by a friend and champion rider of the same era, Garth Puller, Jimmy Anderson was an old school horseracing character who lived his life on and off the track at full pace.
Born at Addington Hospital on 18 August 1948, he grew up in the working class suburb of Sherwood, Durban.
His Dad Keith and Mom Joy raised an energetic football and cricket fanatic, with his brother Greg and sisters Irene, and the late Marilynn
Jimmy loved horses from an early age and attended riding lessons at Newmarket stables in Durban under the guidance of the late Jacko Jackson, who saw potential in he slightly built youngster. Jacko recommended to the family that Jimmy apply at the SA Jockey Academy.
However, there was disappointment to follow – on applying he was told he did not fit the requirements and specifications.
Never lacking grit and determination, Jimmy found a way through the back door though, and he ended up doing his apprenticeship in 1965 under trainer Lookie Coetzee on a farm in Alberton.
He lived on the farm for most of his ‘basic’ training with the late great jockey Gerald Turner.
Jimmy is treated to his favourite of prawns and a glass of wine on his 70th birthday by his son Ashley
He came out of his time in Rhodesia in 1969 and was champion jockey as an apprentice in 1969 and a few more times in the 1970’s.
Jimmy rode for many a year in Johannesburg until visiting trainer Roy Magner, travelled to Turffontein from the then Rhodesia.
He met Jimmy, was impressed by the young man and offered him a career back in Rhodesia. The rest is African turf history!
Jimmy rode in 6 internationals against the best in the world, representing Rhodesia and the great Lester Piggott said “Jimmy is the one jockey he didn’t want to meet in a finish.”
He won Rhodesia’s biggest race, the Castle Tankard and also did the double with the Queen Elizabeth stakes on Celean in 1969.
His partnership with Sir Raymond Stockhill and Benny Loebel was the stuff of dreams and horses like Lucky Joe and Numerator come to mind. He also had many an entertaining tussle on the track with Ivan Moore.
On returning to South Africa he rode as a freelance and in the latter part of his career he was stable jockey to Ivan Pickering, who also had the champion Jeff Lloyd on his books.
While Jimmy rode countless feature winners, his major claim to fame was winning the Rothmans Durban July Handicap in 1981 aboard Big Charles for Dr Louis Naude.
It was the same month and year that Prince Charles and Diana were married – so if one believed in signs and fate a fortune could have been made!
He also went on to win another five consecutive big races in the following weeks, clearly a purple patch in his career.
Andries Steyn was assistant in those days to Dr Louis Naude, before taking out his licence in 1984.
He recounted the back story to Jimmy and Big Charles’ famous win a few years ago to the Sporting Post.
Andries Steyn (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
Tony Distel was a friend of his father’s and the two gentlemen often socialised together.
Distel had bought a Thoroughbred mare with a colt foal at foot from a dispersal sale for the princely sum of R175.
“Tony worked on the boats, so he was away a lot. He bought the horses just to have around the house for fun.”
Distel got an old stock saddle and used to ride the young colt to the shops in Saxonwold.
After being offered to several trainers and receiving no interest, Andries’ dad eventually persuaded him to give the chestnut a go and put it in training with the Naude string.
The horse’s name of course was Big Charles, who would go on to win 9 or 10 races, including the July.
Andries met Jimmy in Durban the previous season and relates an interesting anecdote that the jockey was very fussy about the horses he would ride in work.
“Jimmy would only ride first and maybe second string. He didn’t want to ride bad horses. He said it affected his judgement. And you know, he’s right, if you only work with bad horses, it does make things difficult.”
“The horse was a 6 or 7 time winner and we struggled to get him into the July,” he remembers, scoffing at the fact that one now sees July runners that might not even have a win under their belt.
“We ran Big Charles in the Republic Day handicap. Because he was a bit of a handful, he was loaded early and with a hood and was slow away as a result, but still finished less than 5 lengths off.
“Jimmy got off and said they can come for the July,” he smiles. Big Charles duly obliged by half a length over French Mustard.
Garth Puller – remembers Jimmy fondly
He very nearly won the July – Gold Cup double, going down narrowly to Brave Persian under Garth Puller.
“Garth always liked to come from the back of the field. They couldn’t get a clear run and ended up losing by a short head.”
According to his family, Jimmy had many friends – some close and some ‘less close’.
His family was always first in his life and as they were not very wealthy and lived average lifestyles, Jimmy was known as a kind soul who would always help out financially.
According to his son Ashley, close friends that come to mind were from the ‘brotherhood of jockeys’ and included Gerald Turner, Bert Hayden, Jeff Lloyd, David Payne, Garth Puller, Muis Roberts, Roddy England, Dennis McCreedy and Basil Marcus.
Trainers Ivan Pickering, Roy Magner and the late Ronnie Sheehan also got a mention, while his personal friends were Morton Smith, Butch Erikkson, Phil Harmsworth, Leigh Hall, Felix Finch, Harry Cohen, Neville Melville and many more – and of course ‘many lady friends’.
Ashley apologises in advance if the family have left off a name!
In the latter part of the 1990’s, Jimmy fell ill and his riding career ended.
Jimmy – the harness jockey
The advent on a trial basis of Harness racing in South Africa in 2009 gave him a second lease on life.
Jimmy rode in a few trial races but sadly the ‘chariots’ never really took off here – no doubt as a result of public apathy, unsuitable tracks and a limited horse population.
He decided to retire gracefully and spent the latter years of his life at Bartle House.
Jimmy is survived by his sister Irene, her husband Peter and daughter Merridy, as well as his brother Greg and wife Colleen, who live in Assagay. They also have stepdaughters Adrian and Ingrid. Their son Jesse (Jimmy’s nephew) lives in New Zealand
Jimmy’s son Ashley is married to Tina who have two daughters, Tayla 10 and Casey 4.
Jimmy’s daughter Heidi resides in the UK, and she has a daughter Jessica (Jimmy’s granddaughter), who is 22.
Kate Wrathall was Jimmy’s first wife and the mother of Ashley and Heidi.
A memorial service for family and close friends will be held at Bartle House, 300 Bartle Road Umbilo, on Friday 17 January. at 09h00.
If you are a racing fan please come racing and have a good time – as Jimmy would have wanted it – at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 31 January, when two races will be named in his honour.
“It will be a great opportunity for the public to raise a glass and say goodbye to a racing legend! I am very proud of my Dad’s achievements,” Ashley Anderson told the Sporting Post.
Ed- We appreciate the contribution of Kate Wrathall, Jimmy’s brother Greg and Kate’s son Ashley in compiling this tribute.
