Anton Proctor

After 45 years of being involved in breeding and owning horses ANTON PROCTOR, brother to former South African cricketer Mike Proctor, loves it just as much as when he first became involved. For Anton, who owns and runs Burwell Stud, racing is a great pleasure whether it be at Flamingo Park or Greyville, or anywhere in the world for that matter. In his opinion racing needs more champions to bring the crowds to the course. In order to do this he feels breeders must raise the bar and invest in the best mares available and put them to the champion stallions. Apart from what the breeders can do he reckons race clubs must put in a lot of time and thought into great advertising. Come what may Anton is in racing for the long haul and he must be applauded for his great passion for the game.

What is your name and age? Anton Proctor, I am 69 years old.

What is your star sign and birthdate? I am a Gemini born on 28^th May 1943.

Where were you born? Durban.

Where do you live? Birnamwood, Kwa-Zulu Natal.

Tell us about your family? I have two daughters and five grandchildren (including triplets).

Do you have a ‘nickname’? Proc.

Favourite food? Proper Natalian-curry.

Favourite drink? Anything-but  no alcohol.

Favourite music? Rock.

Favourite sport? Cricket, tennis, golf-the lot.

Are you interested in soccer, if so, which is your favourite soccer team? Like most people who don’t follow too closely-Manchester United.

Favourite holiday destination? Mauritius.

Where did you grow up and were any members of your family involved in farming or breeding racehorses? I grew up in Natal and studied agriculture. None of my family members farmed or bred horses.

Where did you go to school? Kearsney College.

What sports were you interested in while you were at school?  Cricket, rugby, tennis and athletics.

Before you became a breeder were you involved in any other businesses? I worked in Rhodesia-Hybrid Maize. I was involved in breeding at Salisbury Research Station.

How did your interest in horseracing develop and more particularly breeding? My father was keen on the horses. I am related to Wendy Armitage. She was the first woman to be granted a trainer’s licence in South Africa. She is a horse lady of note.

Were you ever a punter or was your interest always concentrated on the breeding side of racing? At school I had records of every horse running in Natal. This was updated every Monday during classes.

Before you started breeding did you own horses? Yes. I have been involved since 1969.

Who was your first trainer and which horse of yours did he train?  John Jacobs with a filly called Ardnalea who won her third start at Clairwood. Net stake was R11600 and training fees were R60.00 per month. This was in 1969.

Which is the best horse you have ever owned? Rakeen-he was third in the July with the Tawny Team. I was involved in the purchase as well.

Have you and your brother, Michael (Mike), ever owned horses in partnership? Yes. We had a filly called Mon Amie by Sun Monarch. When she went to stud she produced a group 1 winner (after we had sold her).

When Mike was at the top of his game did you watch him playing for, the then, Natal and South Africa? Very much so. I was privileged to play Nuffield and Natal cricket with him.

Which of Mike’s achievements gave you the biggest thrill? When he was picked to play for South Africa.

How did it come about that you took over Burwell Stud? I started the stud from scratch. Before buying the farm I was a bookmaker for 10 years. I bought the farm with no money but in one of my last days as a bookmaker I had a fantastic meeting and I had enough money to pay for the farm.

Who was the first stallion that you ever owned?  I never owned any stallion outright. I bought shares in stallions.

What do you consider the best horse you have ever bred? North By Northwest. He won the S.A.Derby and the Daily News 2000.

Down the years breeding has become a very expensive business and breeders have a tough time staying in business. Apart from the diminishing buying power of the Rand, what other reasons do you put this down to? 15 years ago racing received 100% of the gambling rand. Today racing only receives 6% of the gambling rand. Due to this, stakes are poor. Owners have left the industry due to the poor returns available. Consequently there are fewer buyers for the same number of horses.

Right now you only have about 6 mares which will be going to select top stallions. You obviously feel that selective breeding will best suit you. If many breeders follow you, and drastically cut down on the number of mares they use, wouldn’t this have a detrimental effect on racing in SA? No. There is an over production. Numbers are important and there is no doubt that the quality of the breeding stock has improved dramatically. We are clearly becoming a force in the international arena. This is due to the importance of upgrading breeding stock.

If the stringent import-export  controls, currently in place, are relaxed, how do you think this will affect breeders? It would be great for breeding as we would have another market to sell in.

Apart from breeding, only from what could be considered the best of the mares, what other solutions would you, in your opinion, offer to breeders to become more profitable and to keep them in the game? Mate your best to the best and hope for the best.

Which stallions will you be concentrating on? Gimmethegreenlight, Trippi, Var, Dynasty and my own stallion, Just As Well.

What ‘babies’ have you on the ground at the moment and tell us about their matings? 2 by Ideal World.  1 Jet Master, 1 Trippi, 1 Dynasty, 1 Kahal and 1 Captain Al.

Is there any particular baby which really excites you? The Trippi colt out of the Sadlers Wells mare Mantaray Bay. She is a full sister to Front House, who Mike de Kock was successful with.

Recently your horse He Who Dares won at Flamingo Park. How big a thrill is it for you to win a race as compared to breeding the winner of a big feature event? Winning races is the most exciting part of the industry. Flamingo Park is a great place to race. Fine people and a lot of fun. Those who have not raced there are missing something good.

How many horses do you have in training? 3, at the moment.

Do you own any horse which could make it to the top? Maybe, Fun Sunzi. She is resting at home after two wins and a place in a group race as a two year old.

Who trains it for you? Ivan Moore-the gentlemen of trainers.

How many Grade 1 winners have you bred? About 15 while working for various studs.

How many feature race winners have you bred? Around 35. These have been bred while working as a stud manager and in charge of operations.

Which is the biggest feature race you have bred the winner of? The Mainstay International with Secret Rites who was trained by Patrick Lunn.

How many winners have you bred? Have lost count after 45 years in the industry.

When you feel you have bred a particularly nice baby how much of a temptation is it for you to keep it and race it in your own colours? It depends on the cash flow but the colts must be sold, if possible.

With science playing a bigger and bigger role in training horses has much changed in the breeding of horses? Computers are a help when doing the matings but, at the end of the day, it is all about conformation.

Your brother, Mike, has always been a  keen racegoer. Have you ever thought of breeding horses in partnership? Breeding is a little slow for Mike with very little action.

Are any other members of your family interested in racing either from a breeding or owning side? No, but my father raced a few and had his colours for many years.

Outside of breeding and racing what other passions do you have? I eat, dream and sleep horses. Travelling to America, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. I follow all forms of sport.

If things had turned out differently what other career could you have chosen? Horses have been my life. I owe everything I own to them. Farming cattle, which I did for many years, was an important part of my operation.

If you could have your way what would you do or suggest in an attempt to get the crowds back onto the racecourses? We, as breeders, need more champions. They attract the public to take more interest in racing. We need to raise the bar with better mares and stallions and create competition at the highest level. Look at what Jackson, Val De Ra, Frankel and Black Caviar have done.

At the recent July there was a huge crowd of 55000. What do you think was the reason for such a massive crowd and how can the powers that be ensure that crowds keep coming back? Great advertising. A full field of competitive horses in the main race.

After many years in the racing game, and having experienced it from all angles, what do you think it is about racing that keeps us all so in love and enthralled by it all? It’s the fascination of the sport and the love for one of the most majestic animals in the world. It is such an inexact science.

From what you have seen and experienced do you think racing is ‘straight’? Yes. The controls and implementation of the rules are very strict.

What is your opinion on the NHA’S decision to stop betting operators from sponsoring trainers? Racing cannot survive without sponsors.

The saying is “Behind every successful man is an equally successful woman”. Does this apply to Anton Proctor? Certainly it is the case in my life. The little success I have been blessed with I owe to my wife, Judy, who has been through thick and thin with me for the past 45 years.