Muzi – Always A Factor In A Finish

It’s a sobering reality that nobody ever remembers, or cares, who ran second. That certainly applies in horseracing, and just think about it for a moment – who was runner-up behind SA Champion Richard Fourie last season?

It was, coincidentally, the same man who fell just 3 winners short of Lyle Hewitson for national title honours in the 2018/19 season.

At the age of 37, and whether you are one of his legion of fans and love him, or don’t like him too much, or are simply indifferent, nobody can ever suggest that the Clermont-born Muzi Yeni is not a must-include jockey in all bets.

The enormously talented Stone-Stamcor sponsored jockey is an eclectic cocktail of hard work and fierce competitive spirit personified. He rode Mike de Kock’s Officer In Command – his 100^th ride of the less than three week old season – for his 14^th winner at Hollywoodbets Scottsville last Sunday. Coincidentally, Muzi registered his first career winner at his 12th ride when Storm King won  – also for Mike de Kock – at Clairwood in November 2003. He recalls that De Kock’s then assistant Nathan Kotzen put him on the ‘aimer’ and he enjoyed an armchair ride, winning by many lengths.

It’s got tougher at times since that cosy baptism, but he has numerous regional championship titles to his credit and has ridden 15 Grade 1 winners to date – including a couple for the same Nathan Kotzen, now the accomplished trainer of Equus champion, Royal Victory.

Hollywoodbets recently published the betting for the 2024/25 SA Jockey Championship, and while it was a largely a one-horse race last season, with Richard Fourie (now 9-10 to repeat the feat) shattering records at every turn, there could be value about some of the other riders on the betting boards – including Muzi Yeni, currently quoted at 6 to 1.

Fast approaching his 2500^th career winner, Muzi told the Sporting Post on Monday that despite his flying start to the new season, he would be focusing on maintaining his work-rate and enjoying his work, rather than chasing the national title.

“I am intent on building a good resume to allow me to pursue international opportunities if that window ever opens. Things are looking up in South African horseracing on many fronts, but it’s tough for many jockeys with the restructured insurances and medical aid demands. I have a family to support and am prepared to work hard and give it my all. I have many good years left, and if one looks at a top man like Anton Marcus, he probably peaked after 45!” says Muzi, who modestly believes that given the wide spectrum of demands on a professional jockey today, he is probably something of a ‘late bloomer’.

“I had a good last season. I rode top Grade 1 winners of the likes of newly crowned Horse Of The Year Dave The King, and the gutsy Equus Champion Middle Distance horse Royal Victory. And history will show that I was runner-up to Richard Fourie, who had an extraordinary season,” adds Muzi, as he observes that he remains very realistic about the realities and the challenges of catching a big fish like the Capetonian in a championship race.

“I’m a fierce competitor and hungry for success. But let’s face it. Richard is a great rider and he enjoys solid support across the board. His record of 378 winners last season is going to be tough, if not near impossible, to ever topple. And I believe that the Alan Greeff yard, for whom he will take over from caretaker Sean Veale, will be even stronger this season, given the injection of support of some of their new owners, and their foundation of high-class existing patrons. But I intend focusing on my own game and continuing to work hard on the Highveld and KZN, as I have been, while the Eastern Cape remains an option, without me having a first-call job there at this stage,” said Muzi as he painted a picture of the current state of play.

Muzi is one of the most seasoned jockeys around in what, with respect, is considered by many observers to be a relatively shallow pool, where even multiple champion veteran Piere Strydom has seen the opportunities of batting on.

Like he did last term, Muzi has also finished second twice on the national table to Lyle Hewitson – including in the 2018/19 SA Jockey Championship, when riding 215 winners. But unlike the runaway Fourie train that ran amok in 2023/24, the deficit in 2018/19 was only 3 wins.

In two decades in the saddle, Muzi has been consistent, having won the Northern Cape championship eleven times, the Eastern Cape title twice, and Highveld championship once.

We asked whether, like many of us, he missed the old Flamingo Park and those magic Mondays of yore.

“They were great days but the travelling to Kimberley was time consuming and energy-sapping, and I have found that KZN has absorbed that slot very nicely,” he adds.

Since the day his Grandmother, a chicken retailer, persuaded him to give a career as a jockey a chance, Muzi has never looked back, overcoming prejudices and his own internal wildfire, while never forgetting the tough streets of the Clermont township where he was raised.

Despite his share of controversy – largely as a result of his fiercely competitive streak and passionate will to win – he remains a popular figure amongst the punting community. If a horse has half a chance of winning, Muzi will give his supporters a guaranteed run for their money.

“Please allow me to thank all the owners and trainers that support me, my agent Tony Jacobs, and sponsors Stone-Stamcor and Mr Willem Ackerman. I couldn’t do any of this without them and I value the backing,” concluded Muzi.