SA Jockey Is Off To Dubai!

The last time Marco van Rensburg was in the UAE he was holidaying and watching SA champion Victory Moon running third under Weichong Marwing behind Richard Mandella’s Pleasantly Perfect in the Dubai World Cup.

Fast forward nineteen years, life’s changed a bit. Marco’s grown up and evolved professionally, and now he’s simply looking for a change of scenery to take his career to another level.

Chatting to the Sporting Post just before he boarded an Emirates Airlines flight at OR Tambo International on Monday evening, the 40 year old former SA Champion Apprentice, and certainly one of the best value lightweight riders in the country, said that he was genuinely excited about his new Dubai challenge.

“My good mate Zaan Thompson got me involved and it’s come at a time when I am yearning for a chance to see something different. I will be riding for the Mardood Racing stable and the M1 Racing stable. One needs new challenges and I feel fit and ready for what lies ahead,” chirped the talented and versatile rider, who is chasing a career 1200 winner milestone.

Asked how a genuine son of Africa, born on the banks of the Vaal River and a lover of a good old braai, would be adjusting to life in Dubai, the Grade 1 winning jockey smiles broadly.

“Do you know that when others were half dreading the trip to the Northern Cape every Monday, I was looking forward to it. Heat and the desert are my kind of environment. I’d far rather be boiling hot than ice cold! And the adjustment shouldn’t be difficult – I have friends and colleagues there and I have ridden overseas previously,” he adds as he reflects back on his Mauritius stints, the last of which was in 2016.

“Looking back now, I loved Flamingo Park. I’d go so far as to say it was my favourite track. No matter the weather, the conditions – the track handled it, and it ran true. There was never any kickback – it  was a great surface. I wish they could have transferred the track to the Vaal!” he laughs.

An International Mauritian all- star young champion where he represented his country in 2002/3, Marco was Northern Cape champion Jockey for two seasons, and also rode in Zimbabwe where he won the Castle Tankard.

One of his standout features is his never-say-die approach, seeming absence of fear, and a versatility and ability to judge pace on all surfaces – that’s from the emerald green turf of Hollywoodbets Greyville, to the diamond dustbowl sand of Kimberley, and the all-weather at Fairview.

Lucas Marthinus ‘Oublank’ van Rensburg was born on 18 April 1983 and grew up in Sasolburg.

Always slight in stature, but as strong as an ox, he joined the SA Jockey Academy in 1998 alongside Chad Little, Tyron Langdon, Ralton Peters and Robert Fayd’herbe.

Marco rode his first winner for Dennis Bosch on Pearly Queen at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on 17 December 2000 and was to go on and pilot top horses in a sparkling career.

He achieved an early Gr1 success in the SA Fillies Classic on Spiced Gold. Easily recognizable big names on his cv include Geoff Woodruff’s Zouaves who won the Gr2 Hawaii Stakes, subsequent Durban July winner Greys Inn for Mike de Kock, Charles Laird champion Hinterland, and then the gallant Azzie galloper Orpheus, with whom he had a special affinity, and on whom he won the Listed Sledgehammer.

“I also won nine on Brother Jason for Cliffie Miller in Kimberley. He was a machine on the sand,” he adds enthusiastically.

 

Marco is looking forward to getting a feel of the tracks before the new look Dubai Racing Club season commences on 10 November.

In line with Dubai’s fast-paced development and innovation, under the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai Racing Club has unveiled a new structure for the 2023-24 racing season.

The season culminates on 8 March 2024 and comprises 14 meetings and precedes the $30.5million Dubai World Cup meeting on 30 March.

The new season gives international trainers, jockeys and horses the chance to compete in Dubai for much longer than was previously the case. So Marco will find the competition red hot!

Purses for the Dubai Racing Carnival 2023-2024 are up by the equivalent of R56 million – a 27% increase from the total for the 2022-23 season.

There will be three valuable feature race nights; starting in December (R24 million), then January (R50 million), and Super Saturday in March (R50 million); which brings the total purses for the three meetings to the equivalent of R124 million.

The minimum prize money per non-stakes races is the equivalent of R825 000 – interestingly the same as pre-pandemic levels.

The flagship Dubai World Cup night brings the curtain down on the Dubai season and retains its enormous pool of prize money of US$30,5 million.

“I will still be following the South African racing closely. I have many friends and top horses that I have been privileged to be associated with. Thanks for the chat,” he said as he dashed off to catch his flight.