None Other Than Lucky!

Vaal trainer Michael ‘Lucky’ Houdalakis scripted his own paragraph into the extraordinary SA Oaks-Oppenheimer history book at Turffontein on Saturday.

And the near 60 year old former top jockey did it with a princess who arrived at his stables a petite pauper.

“Oh hell, she was tiny! I mean tiny!” he recalls as he chatted to the Sporting Post after the Wilgerbosdrift & Mauritzfontein bred Flower Alley daughter None Other had skated to victory under Winning Form-jockey Richard Fourie in the Wilgerbosdrift Bridget Oppenheimer Gr2 SA Oaks.

Wilgerbosdrift’s Mary Slack was elated, enthusing that None Other,  hailed from ‘one of our best families’.

“But when she arrived at Lucky’s yard, she was small – he thought she was a farewell pony,” said SA racing’s reigning first lady.

In a special moment of serendipity, None Other was winning the SA Oaks at the first renewal bearing the name of SA horseracing’s former first lady Bridget Oppenheimer, and is a granddaughter of Ilha Da Vitoria, who won the Gr1 Horse Chestnut Stakes in 2006, coincidentally the first year the race carried the name of Harry Oppenheimer!

Watch the Oaks replay here:

“It’s an honour to train horses for South Africa’s first racing family. So when they arrive and look like None Other did, you shut up and carry on with the job at hand. The blood is always there. And when it’s coupled with a heart, then you have something to work with. When None Other started stretching, she had an action. She was a real racehorse – just not a very big one. She’s now won 4 from 12 – including the SA Oaks. And look at that trophy and the honour roll! I’m very happy,” added the charismatic horseman who guided international champion sprinter JJ The Jet Plane to a glittering career, that included six Gr1 victories.

Lucky also has a nice record in the SA Oaks – three runners have now produced a winner and two places.

“Peggy Jay, whose son Lunch Money runs in the first at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Wednesday, ran third behind Juxtapose in 2016 and then Seville Orange was also third behind Return Flight in 2019. So Saturday was a welcome victory for our whole team,” added the Egyptian-born straight-shooter who golfs and fishes when he gets a break from his sixty-strong string at what he says is probably South Africa’s leading racecourse and training centre.

So he wouldn’t move to Randjesfontein, if the chance came along?

“Are you crazy? There is enough traffic in Gauteng without having to queue up behind the tractor in the morning to work horses. Here at the Vaal we have a variety of tracks, peace and tranquility and look at the course. A 1000m straight. A mile straight. I don’t even know why we race features on the Turffontein inside track. The draw bias is crazy. At the Vaal, the draw is no excuse. If you’re a jockey and you can’t get your horse into position at the Vaal with that long straight, then you shouldn’t be riding!”

Lucky also adds that there is always a meeting at the Vaal weekly at least.

“The Joburg guys horses stand here for 6 hours. My horses walk out of the stable into the parade ring and to the start. You can’t tell me that doesn’t make a difference!”

After 27 years as a jockey with plenty of international success, Lucky was persuaded by his wife Natalie – he calls her the ‘engine room’ of his operation – and owner Coenie Strydom of subsequent JJ The Jet Plane fame to take out his licence in 2006.

He started with 4 horses on James Maree’s farm. His first ever runner was Mutual Secret and  maiden winner was Man’s Mood who went on to win six races.

A touch of Houdalakis trivia is that Charles Dickens’ dam Demanding Lady was trained by Lucky, and with Essenelles and Virginia Sound, was part of his milestone maiden treble at Turffontein on 26 January 2013.

So where to next for None Other?

“I see the Woolavington at Hollywoodbets Greyville is now an open race, so I will talk to the owners and maybe will have to rethink that and also consider the option of the Track & Ball Oaks at Hollywoodbets Scottsville.”