Out with the old and in with the new! The news this week that Cape Racing have brought in new generation blood in Alistair Cohen and Brandon Bailey also means that veteran Jehan Malherbe will be hanging up his mic after 44 winters.
Turf Talk reported this week that commentating was actually Jehan’s second job.
He is a bloodstock agent and has close associations in that role with the connections of Horse Chestnut, trainer Mike de Kock and the Oppenheimer family, as well as the Dean Kannemeyer Racing operation.
Jehan Malherbe – time to relax a bit
He made his official debut when Cape Town commentator Sandy Bickett was ill and his assistant at the time, Graeme Hawkins, was in the army.
“I volunteered and did my first call in August 1979. I made a quick tape at home and gave it to them and they said yes good to go.”
Hawkins returned from the army shortly thereafter but Jehan was given a couple of races per meeting to help him ease in to it.
Graeme Hawkins – way back when!
However, Bickett then retired and Hawkins left for Johannesburg leaving Jehan ‘holding the baby’.
He was promoted to senior commentator.
He said, “I enjoyed it … it was great doing the good races and the good horses, great memories and a lot of fun.”
However, he admitted, “I don’t enjoy doing bad races and bad horses, like Durbanville (in the old days) in the rain on a Wednesday afternoon and maiden plates with first-timers etc. It is probably harder doing those than the big races because in the big races you know all the horses.”
Jehan was asked about the best he called.
He replied, “Obviously Horse Chestnut is up there with the best, Jet Master winning the Guineas, Empress Club winning the Met, Wolf Power winning the Queen’s Plate … I was lucky enough to call some of the greats. I was around for a long time so I’ve seen and called a lot of good horses in my time. I wouldn’t like to rank which is the best of them or the worst.”
Jehan seen with Dean Kannemeyer, Tracey Attree and Lady Christine Laidlaw after Power King’s Durban July win in 2015 (Pic – Gold Circle)
Although it brought him a lot of memories, fun and satisfaction, he said it was ultimately a thankless job.
He said, “When you get it wrong everyone phones you and screams at you, when you get it right you never hear a word!”
Jehan has stayed in Cape Town despite numerous offers.
He revealed, “When Eric Denman retired I was offered the Durban job, when Peter Duffield retired I was offered the Jo’Burg job. So at one point in time I was a sought after commentator. I was also offered the Maryland Jockey Club job, Laurel Park and Pimlico, back in 1989 which at the time was probably one of the biggest commentating jobs in the world. They flew me over and I did a guest stint after which they tried to get me to stay full time. I have had a good innings. No regrets.”
Jehan was flown to Johannesburg a few times after Peter Duffield’s retirement, because Clyde Basel was just a youngster then and had only just started, so they wanted an experienced hand for some of the big races.
Jehan with Mary Slack and Jessica Jell after None Other’s Oaks win (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
He also used to go and do the big races in Gqeberha when SABC covered them.
He has called at a few race tracks in America in his time.
He said about his favourite racecourses, “The nicest course to commentate at was undoubtedly Milnerton. You just had a great overview and a good position from the commentary box. The hardest in the old days was Durbanville when it had speaker feedback, it doesn’t have it any more. They had loudspeakers accross the way which blared back at you after a two second delay which made concentrating a little difficult. Plus in Durbanville in the old days when it rained you got sopping wet. It had no glass in front of it. It was very much out in the open. Durbanville in winter was a nightmare.”
Jehan will continue working for Form Bloodstock.
