Dean Kannemeyer

The quietly spoken Dean Kannemeyer ranks in the top echelon of the classic winning trainers of SA horseracing. He speaks about his great horses, magic moments and the things that make him tick. He is also behind the lobby for a polytrack in the Western Cape and expresses his disappointment at the action of the KZN trainers that forced the closure of his Clairwood satellite yard last year.

What is your name?
Dean Kannemeyer

What is your star sign and birthdate?
 I am a Scorpio born 15 November 1960

Where were you born and where did you grow up?
Milnerton

Where do you live?
West Beach, Cape Town

Favourite food?
I enjoy any red meat and fish

Favourite drink?
I enjoy a drink with my friends

Favourite sport?
Rugby

Favourite holiday destination?
Greek Isles and Mauritius

Favourite racecourse in South Africa?
Kenilworth

Favourite author?
Wilbur Smith

What book are you reading at the moment?
From Lance To Landis by David Walsh, a fascinating look at the Lance Armstrong doping scandal

Who is the one person that you would love to meet and why?
Training racehorses is my profession and I would love to have spent some time with Vincent O’ Brien. Focussing on choosing yearlings and prepping horses for the classics would have been interesting.

Property aside, what’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
One of the more expensive decisions I didn’t act on was my Dad’s offer to help me buy a flat on the beachfront when I left the Army. Instead I bought a two door car. That wasn’t very clever.

Where did you go to school?
Milnerton

What did you do once you completed schooling?
It was the days of conscription. I joined 1 Parachute Batallion and became a Parabat. I enjoyed the experience.

Tell us about your introduction into horseracing?
My father was a jockey and trained horses. I spent every waking moment at the yard from an early age. It was a natural career choice.

Can you share some of your earliest happy memories of the sport?
At the age of 11 I rode my first grass gallop and had the privilege of riding work with some of SA’s greatest jockeys of the time.

Did you have any aspirations of becoming a jockey?
Very much so, but my Dad was dead against it and I was also too heavy. I could have been retired now had I gone that route!

What convinced you to take up training and who were you assistant to?
I was riding work and mucking out so had become accustomed to the lifestyle. I enjoyed the competitive side of the industry and have always had a great passion for the majesty of the thoroughbred. My Dad was my boss for ages.

What were some of the important lessons you learnt early on?
I was taught very early : You have to feed them well , sleep them well and exercise them well. And they will look after you. My father also always said: ‘Show me a good owner and then show me a good horse.’

What year were you granted your trainer’s licence, where were you based and how many horses did you start off with?
I was licenced in 1999 after being one of South Africa’s longest serving assistants! I had 90 horses here in Milnerton.

How long did it take you to have your first winner and tell us about it?
The Gr1 Gold Cup was my first Gr1. What a thrill Colonial Girl’s win was! I trained her for a great partnership of Gary Player, Terry Burgess, Mike Jolly and Dave King.

Mention some of the better horses you worked with early on in your career?
I have been fortunate to have been associated with many good horses over an extended period of time. I rode the brilliant Over The Air in his work. The stats will show that I have also trained more classic winners than most trainers. Free My Heart , Dynasty , Rabiya, Noordhoek Flyer, Capetown Noir, Le Drakkar. There are many more.

What has been your best finishing position on the National log?
I have finished in the top five and was Cape Champion in 2003. But to stay in the top ten is all about numbers. And I have never trained numbers. But I have the infrastructure to accommodate more if anybody is looking for a happy, classic winning yard.

What is the most number of winners you have had in a season?
Close on 100

Tell us about the most number of winners you have had in a day?
I had five on a day in the week before Dynasty won the July. I have subsequently repeated the feat a few times.

Which of the major Grade 1 events gave you the most satisfaction in winning?
Winning any race gives me great satisfaction. Winning Gr1’s are like winning the majors in golf. As a young man, I remember a wise old Cape trainer telling me that ‘bad trainers don’t win Gr1 races!’

What has been your most memorable day in horseracing?
Winning my first July with Dynasty from a 20 draw was a memorable moment and a great thrill. But one never gets used to winning Gr1’s.Every winner is a great moment.

Where are your stables currently based and how many horses do you have in your care?
I am in Milnerton and average 80 to 85.

Horseracing has changed a lot over the past two decades as there are many more trainers around, making it much more tougher to acquire loyal support from patrons. In order for a yard to be extremely successful it seems that marketing has become a very important tool. What are your thoughts on this?
Yes marketing and communications are vital. The Industry generally has been under huge pressure. I believe the most difficult challenge is bringing the new generation in and catering for their specific desires and wants. SA horseracing has a great brand but I am not sure that we are marketing it to the right people and effectively enough.

Does the yard have a stable jockey?
My stable jockey is Karl Neisius and as his riding weight is restricted, I also use Grant Behr and try and give him as many opportunities as possible. He has worked hard in the yard. Then Gerrit Schlechter is also a vastly experienced lightweight who is great value.

Would you like to pay tribute to some of your loyal patrons that have been with the yard over the years?
I have enjoyed the support of many very good owners and good people that have become good friends. They go through the good and the bad with you. That means a lot to me. But I am always on the lookout for new blood too and recently started a syndicate facility.

You have had some great jockeys ride for you over the years. Who would be the one jockey that stands out in your mind as being closest to the ‘perfect’ package?
Karl Neisius has been with us a long time and has won more Gr1 races than most jockeys. He is a great judge of pace and very seldom makes mistakes. Nothing flusters him and let’s face it, a strong temperament is the hallmark of any top sportsman.

The KZN season is just around the corner. Will you be raiding with any of your runners?
I am already at Clairwood and had my first runners this past weekend. I may not have the depth in my string this year but I do have some serious quality, especially in my younger horses. I may race some of my 2yo’s a little earlier this time.

Single out a recent event/policy that you consider destructive for racing.

 I still feel a great sense of disappointment at the actions of the KZN trainers towards the visiting trainers last year. I was basically forced into closing down my satellite yard. For years I considered the very same guys to be my colleagues. The move on their part affected employment and it was nothing more than the promotion of mediocrity at the expense of the greater good of the sport. Now even in Champions Season the Cape trainers are restricted by what we can bring. Kannemeyer Racing has been supporting racing in KZN since 1973, so I will always see the move as a slap in the face.

Do you think there is a place for Bookmakers in South African horseracing?
I am not a gambling man and have nothing against bookmakers. But common sense tells me that the more money that goes through the totes , the better for the racing fiscus.

What changes would you like to see made in South African horseracing?
The same question is always asked when I travel internationally. “Tell us about your export protocols.” I believe that if we can get the sanctions lifted it can only be for the better good of racing. So much red tape and politics are involved. We would have a flood of international investors. It will also have the effect of keeping more owners in business with more money in circulation.

Do you have any assistance when buying yearlings or older horses at the sales or off the stud farms?
I believe that two heads are better than one and I work closely with Jehan Malherbe from Form Bloodstock. He does the pedigree analysis and we put our heads together on matters like the conformation of the horse. We have always had a strict policy: ‘When in doubt, rule out!’ Dr John McVeigh and his senior partners also provide input via vetting and health aspects.

How do you celebrate a really successful day?
If you can’t share the good times in life with friends,what is winning all about? My patrons and friends (often one and the same) get together in our private suite at Kenilworth with a few glasses of bubbly.

The polytrack at Fairview has done great things for racing in PE. Do you think a polytrack in Cape Town would be a good thing?
I believe that it would change the face of Cape racing. I have always felt that Cape Town is one of the most difficult centres to train in. The winters make the tracks unplayable for many months. How much money is lost and negativity created through abandoned meetings?  I would love to see them turn Durbanville into a polytrack with a good camber on the bends because that will stop the guys from scratching as a result of bad draws. It will create bigger fields with the added benefit of improved betting turnovers. It will also preserve and protect Kenilworth racecourse for the feature season months. I don’t know how Dean Diedericks works magic like he does. He basically has one month to get the track ready after winter!