Grant van Niekerk wins on Wehaveasituation – what an ironic name that turned out to be (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa took immediate action after comments made by Jockey Grant van Niekerk in a post-race interview following the second race at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Wednesday.
In a media release published this afternoon, the NHA said that in view of these inter alia derogatory comments against the racing regulator, referencing an Inquiry that was held on Tuesday, 25 March 2025, into Van Niekerk’s riding of HSH Princess Charlene Big Cap winner All Out For Six at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 16 March 2025, the Chief Executive implemented the provisions of Rule 91.2, effectively that van Niekerk has been placed under an immediate interim suspension and was replaced on his remaining rides.
Here is the interview:
An Inquiry has been opened into this matter.
Following Van Niekerk’s suspension, a protest was orchestrated by the jockeys.
After no agreement was reached between the NHA and the jockeys, Cape Racing was left with no alternative but to abandon the meeting after the third race.
The NHA will launch a further Inquiry into the jockey protest.
Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz told the Sporting Post that, aside from the reputational damage to the sport, it costs the racing operator ‘a great deal of money’ to put on a racemeeting.
“You will appreciate that any abandonment due to industrial action is both costly and disappointing. The racemeeting of 2 April is under review and we will not be opening nominations to put any more meetings on until such time that we have assurances from the jockeys and the racing regulator that issues have been satisfactorily resolved. I must reiterate that I don’t believe that industrial action was appropriate today as there are other ways, means and channels to express and air grievances,” added Bortz.
Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz – disappointed (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Bortz went on to add that sponsors of jockeys and racing alike may no doubt have concerns after what happened today, and that there could well be unintended consequences flowing from the protest action taken by the jockeys.
“I want to be clear that I am not opining on the individual grievances of the jockeys and the NHA, but am firmly opposed to any action taken by stakeholders during a racemeeting, other than obviously for issues of safety. The racemeeting today should have run its course and the parties could have agreed to meet at a later stage. I feel for all stakeholders who are impacted by this action,” concluded Bortz.
Given the national nature of racing, the fallout from today will likely extend beyond the Western Cape and one expects that the individual racing operators will stand unified.
4Racing’s Gabriel Soma told the Sporting Post that, irrespective of any differences that may exist between any of the parties, today’s action by the jockeys can absolutely not be justified.
“There is always a danger of this type of action spilling over into other regions and we stand by Cape Racing. There are so many stakeholders across the spectrum that are impacted unjustly in the course of this action, and the jockeys can simply not be permitted to hold the sport to ransom. We urge the parties to meet and to resolve their differences in the best interests of South African racing,” said Soma.
The National Horseracing Authority plays a vital role as an independent regulator of the sport of horseracing in South Africa, and disciplinary decisions will no doubt be unpopular at times. This was a dark day for a sport already under the cosh.
