It really and truly feels like the end of an era as the Bestel name disappears from KZN racecards after over a half century of proud achievement.
Gold Circle commendably hosted the Corinne Bestel raceday at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Wednesday to pay a formal farewell to the Summerveld conditioner who recently relinquished her licence after thirty five years.
Corinne is the daughter of the no-nonsense veteran Eileen Bestel, who was among the first female trainers in South Africa, alongside the likes of Anne Upton.
Corinne and some of her loyal supporters say goodbye (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Eileen had the distinction of training the 1800m world-record holder of the time, Sabre, who won the Clairwood Winter Handicap in the hands of ‘Snowy’ Reid in 1974.
While we are in reminiscing mode, it’s interesting the great memories the old names conjure up – Sabre beat Aegean (Bertie Hayden), Chief Scout (Dana Siegenberg) and Foreign Agent (Brian Deyes).
Corinne worked for her Mom as an assistant for seven years, training some big horses including Speak No Evil, winner of the Mercury Sprint, Swift And Silent, who won ten races including the Christmas Handicap, Irish Limerick, winner of the Flamboyant Stakes, and Royal Tiara.
Corinne was based at Clairwood when she trained her first winner Sheriff`s Star, ridden to victory by Jeff Lloyd at Greyville on 13 August 1994.
She also trained the very smart Azuaga, who won the Rupert Ellis Brown Memorial, Olympic Flag who won both the Byerley Turk and the KwaZulu-Natal Stakes and St Lazare was also a top-class sort and won the Christmas Handicap.
Corinne paid tribute to key players in her career by naming races in their honour on Wednesday.
These include her Mom and mentor Eileen, her first winner Sheriff’s Star, and Azuaga, who was her first graded winner when piloted by Mark Khan to win the Rupert Ellis Brown in 1996.
Then there is St Lazare who won the 1997 Christmas Handicap from a 17 draw under Rene Bonham, the multiple stakes winner Olympic Flag, the much-loved Hollywoodbets Greyville specialist True Lily and the best horse she trained, She’s A Winner, who won the Godolphin Stakes beating the males in the hands of the late Alec Forbes. An unsuccessful wind operation cut her career short.
Last word from Corinne Bestel (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
One of the true horsewomen of the modern era of lady trainers in South Africa, the low-profile Corinne Bestel maintained solid, almost old-fashioned relationships with a small group of loyal supporters, and weaved magic with the limited stock at her disposal.
Racing has shed some sentimental friends over the years. Corinne is another.
We wish her well.
