It has been quite a week so far for 20 year old apprentice Philasande ‘Phila’ Mxoli. On Monday he rode the first winner of his career at Flamingo Park and followed up on Tuesday at the Vaal with another thrilling victory.
The second year South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) apprentice, who is currently based at the Gauteng Jockeys Academy, rode a cracker aboard Manaftermidnight for Steph Miller on the sand on Monday.
Coincidentally, it was another lady trainer who gave him his second winner on Tuesday at the Vaal.
Candice Dawson saddled the 8-1 Epic Dream who came with a late rattle under a well balanced ride to rock the exotics.
Philasande Mxoli – make a note of this name (Pic-supplied)
Philasande was accepted into the Academy in 2019 but is no stranger to horseracing.
He has been competing in thoroughbred rural races since the age of thirteen and has ridden in excess of 90 winners in the Eastern Cape.
These winners include two victories in the biggest race on the Eastern Cape Rural Racing Calendar, the Berlin November, aboard Remember and Final Judgement.
The rural races are held on fields, as opposed to racecourses, and the distances Philisande was racing over were 1000m, 1200m and 1400m.
Phila dreamt of becoming a professional jockey since his first ride in a race at age thirteen.
He applied to join the Academy in 2018 and was assisted by Lopez Mogongo, a successful owner and trainer in Eastern Cape Rural Racing, who provided him with transport and support to attend the two recruitment assessments and final Interview at Fairview Racecourse in Port Elizabeth.
He had his first race ride in September last year at Hollywoodbets Scottsville aboard Royal Kaitrina for Kumaran Naidoo.
While his win strike-rate is low from his 42 rides, his 13 places have been achieved at a strike-rate of 31%.
He could be a man to include in the Place Accumulators and note that this 4kg claim in the racecard is definitely no indicator of a greenhorn.
