Ormond Ferraris was inducted into the South African Hall of Fame on Champions Day at Turffontein on Saturday, 29 March 2025.
The Hall of Fame celebrates the achievements of extraordinary South Africans, honouring iconic figures such as Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu, and Gary Player.
Ormond Ferraris (Pic – JC Photos)
The SA Hall Of Fame announced in a media release: “Mr Ferraris is the perfect example of someone who has given his life to excellence, service, and uplifting others. His love for the sport, his dedication, and the way he’s helped so many others make him a true South African legend. We are proud to welcome him.”
Ferraris, who turns 93 years of age on Monday, 31 March, saddled no fewer than 10 Oaks winners, including Pretty Border (a filly he considers the best horse he’d ever trained), St Just and Lambarina.
He also prepared eight Derby winners, including the outstanding Distinctly, Newmarket Triple Crown winner Fine Regent, and The Monk, and won the 2013 Triple Tiara with Cherry On The Top.
Ferraris with champion filly, Pretty Border (Pic – Supplied)
Beyond his success on the track, Ferraris’ greatest legacy is his role as a mentor. He played a pivotal role in shaping the careers of champion trainers David Ferraris, Mike de Kock, and Michael Clements, as well as leading trainers Weiho Marwing, Weichong Marwing and Sharon Kotzen.
Yet, what he holds dearest is his founding of the Trainers Benevolent Fund, which he personally managed from 1970 to 2022 and has since been handed over to a private accountant.
Ferraris said this week: “The saddest thing I’ve seen in all my years in racing is the passing of many good horsemen without a penny to their names. Several trainers dedicated their entire lives to the sport, only to die in poverty. We tried to help as many as we could, despite limited funding from racing authorities. Resources are now at a minimum, but we built a reserve that I hope will last a few more years.”
Fresh out of school in 1949, Ferraris briefly worked as a trainee antiques dealer in downtown Johannesburg. But with his heart firmly set on a racing career, he decided to bang down trainer George Weale’s door for a position as a work rider.
He was promoted to Assistant Trainer in 1950, becoming the first person in SA racing history to hold that title. In 1954, he was granted his own trainer’s licence and saddled his first winner, Shenandoah, at Gosforth Park on 14 August of that year.
Ferraris went on to train approximately 2,600 more winners before retiring in May 2019, never handling a string of more than 60 runners.
Ferraris with his late wife Maureen, Weichong Marwing and Michael Clements, 1989 (Pic – Charl Pretorius)
After a brief period of rest and reflection, and the launch of his autobiography, ‘Thoroughly: Seven decades in the sport of Kings and Crooks’, he returned to Turffontein in 2022 to assist his former stable jockey, Weichong Marwing, who had embarked on his own training career.
Their roles have reversed in an intriguing twist to a partnership that began in 1989. Working from the same barn where they once teamed up to win hundreds of races, the mentor now sits on the other side of the desk – while his former jockey is the trainer in charge.
Ferraris’ daily routine remains unchanged. He leaves his home in southern Johannesburg at 04:00 – still driving his own vehicle – and arrives at the Turffontein stables for a 04:30 start. There, alongside Marwing, he oversees two strings of morning gallopers. He said: “Horses keep me going, and I’m enjoying my time with Weichong. He is a good horseman, kind to his runners. He can make it to the higher ranks, but he needs support from the big owners to compete. I am not sure why this hasn’t happened. He has proven himself more than capable.”
In years past, Ferraris, Marwing, and head groom John Sibeko would walk from the stable complex across the track to the infield training rings – a tough route that passes under two sets of trackside rails.
“That was good exercise; it kept me fit. But I can’t bend down like I used to, so now Weichong and I drive around the track to the infield entrance,” Ferraris explained. “Trainer Tyrone Zackey kindly suggested that the track manager modify the rails there, so we can lift a beam instead of bending down underneath it. They’ve done that, which helps. John, however, still takes the shorter route across the track. He’s in his 70s now and has been with us for over 40 years.”
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Mr Ferraris stated that the best sprinter he had trained was that filly bred in Australia, sort of a dirty grey ? Damn , I can’t remember her name !
He trained Tracy’s Element who was top class and also a champion broodmare,although she was a bay.
Tracey’s Element was her name
Frankie Zackey…William do you remember her debut win and Clyde Basel’s commentary ? I’ll ask Clyde if he still has the clip and recording… I was on course at Turffontien that day,, she raced in Mrs Hinton’s colors the blue and with checks…She was something else
Hi Frankie, yes indeed, I was at a bookie and did have, usually, a bet on the nose on her.
Those were good days , fancy free and footloose. From Cape Town, even when the Joburg coverage was limited in the late 70’s and early 80’s, my Aunt Cynthia, who worked for the Ovenstone’s, told us that the Ovenstone’s told her that Mr. Ferraris was the the bee’s knees of Johannesburg racing. She said never mind the Cawcutt’s , Mr Ferraris was the wise man of racing with his small stable.
Those days were indeed footloose and fancy free.Can you guys remember the match race between Cliffie Otto’s Divine Act and Michael Azzie’s Brainteaser? I don’t think something like that will or can happen today.
Johan, I think I have that one on an external drive somewhere. Geez, that caused a lekker vibe, hey !
And the two trainers comments before the race made it even more exciting
Hello Mr. Editor and SP Readers,
I have a treat for you compliments of Gregory Cort — the Brainteaser /Divine Act build up and race
Tks William / Greg!
I was at the races that day and i think striker rode the pick 6 that day he definitely had 6 or 7 winners ..Great memories and i celebrated by having a nandos burger as they were at germiston racecourse all those years ago
I recall brainteasers debut he ran at newmarket midweek and striker was on his stablemate moscow man who opened up at odds on and was meant to be the right one and weichong was on brainteaser who opened up at 5 to 2 but by race time they had swopped around and the result never in doubt ..i recall having a pizza at the lovely little Italian restaurant just past the winning post at Newmarket after the race ..great days ..Thanks William
Great memories.That shut Michael Azzie’s mouth,but only for a few months.
Crikey Hilton, you’re making me hungry…lol .
Gregory sent me another one, Senor v Northern Princess. I’ll post later