Brewski’s Chasing The Title

Watch out Rachel Venniker and Kyle Strydom! Kaidan Brewer has unashamedly declared that his sights are firmly set on the SA Champion Apprentice title this season.

With 5 winners in his 13 rides prior to the sun setting on Human Rights Day, there is no question that ‘Brewski’ has hit the proverbial purple patch.

While national title aspirations may sound like a pipe dream for an 18 year old who only rode 5 winners last term at a 3% strike-rate, the Pietermaritzburg-born Carter High graduate is growing in stature.

Kaidan – the soccer fan points out that his name is spelt with an ‘a’ not an ‘e’ – registered the first three-timer of his short career at Turffontein on Saturday, and was on the mark again at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Monday, with a well-taken double.

He booted home Oh My Word Its Roy and We All Chommies, a 250-1 double for Kumaran Naidoo on the Durban City course polytrack on Monday.

On his milestone Saturday 48 hours earlier, he won on Pashasha (Roy Magner), Masaaken (Mike de Kock) and the popular exotic bet banker Super Agra (Paul Peter).

The 2,5kg claimer, who goes to scale at 48kgs, is now on 33 winners for the season, versus the top-class Rachel Venniker’s 51.

But he isn’t watching anybody else – his head is down, he is running his own race, and his first goal is to ride a winner for SA Champion owner Suzette Viljoen, whose son’s company Ludelm is his sponsor.

Watch Kaidan winning on Oh My Word Its Roy:

“The Viljoen family have been so kind and encouraging. And it’s not about the material reward for me as a fledgeling rider. Having a sponsor believing in me is a massive motivator on its own to do my best, and more.”

Kaidan tells the Sporting Post that he is firmly focussed on reaching the 60 winner mark – an important point for any young jockey.

And here he wins on We All Chomies:

So what has been the winning revelation for him?

“I think that the turning point for me was my move to Gauteng late last year. I was in the right place at the right time. I picked up a ride on Sacred Lotus for top trainer Paul Peter at my very first meeting. The filly won. It was a dream start and we all need those lucky breaks in life!” he explains modestly as he says that fitness and confidence count for a lot in race-riding.

He tells how top men like Roy Magner, Mike de Kock and Paul Peter, have supported him.

“Every trainer and yard is different. And when top people trust me enough to give me rides, I don’t want to let them down! It takes years to build up businesses and owners invest a lot of money and patience in the process.”

Kaidan says that judgement and pace assessment obviously come with experience – but confidence is a key factor as a start.

“With winners under the belt, I feel better – I ride better. I make better judgement decisions. And I’m also very lucky to have many people who mentor and show a genuine interest in my progress. Mr Robert Moore who runs the Gauteng Academy has helped me a lot with technique adjustment and feedback. Keagan de Melo has been another to help me with constructive feedback. Jeff Syster always has time to listen and chat.”

Kaidan adds that he has always had an enquiring mind.

“I’m very lucky to have been a kit boy to Luke Ferraris and Keagan de Melo. I would ask a lot of questions and absorb what they told me. They both gave me heaps of guidance.”

Asked which two jockeys he’d prefer not to meet in a tight finish, he says Keagan de Melo and Richard Fourie.

“Richard Fourie is just poetry in motion. The way he balances and gets the best out of a horse is unbelievable. Keagan de Melo has grown into a really top rider. He is so quiet on a horse. Something I would like to emulate in time!”

We observed that for his age, Kaidan has an above average confidence in his verbal communication and the way he expresses himself.

The polite rider places a lot of the credit for his early success at the door of his parents.

“I have had no excuses not to succeed. My parents worked hard. We lived in good areas and I had a quality education. My older sister Kiara and I were always encouraged to do well. It makes a difference.”

His Dad Andrew works for SASSA and Mom Claudelle is an HR Manager for a large corporate.

“My Dad was an owner years ago. He is there at every racemeeting – urging me on. He is my number 1 fan, as they say! He really loves his horseracing.”

Kaidan turns 19 on 21 June. He doesn’t smoke or drink – and there is no special lady in the vicinity.

“I really don’t have time – I’m totally focussed on my career. I’m trying to complete my driver’s licence so that I can look at buying a car. Kyle Strydom and I are good mates – we chat a lot and talk about life, riding and things. For the rest, it’s early to bed, early to rise, work hard and ride winners,” he laughs.

Kaidan says he can’t thank everybody in the SA Jockey Academy system enough for giving him the opportunities.

“Racing is a tough game. But everybody is so kind and do their jobs with such passion. It can’t be easy training a little guy or girl, some of whom have never even touched a horse, to get on a half ton of thoroughbred and win races.”