SA Champion jockey Richard Fourie has bid a fond farewell to the Winning Form banner under which he achieved a host of new records last season, and stepped out under the Ridgemont flag for the first time at Hollywoodbets Durbanville on Saturday 14 September.
SA Champion jockey Richard Fourie – rides for Ridgemont from today (Pic-Candiese Lenferna)
In a season unsurpassed in the long history of South African horseracing, Richard Fourie went to the start in 1649 races and set a new benchmark of 378 winners for gross stakes earnings of over R45 million in the 2023/24 term.
It’s a record that many experts believe will endure beyond our lifetimes.
In a glorious season of new highs, Fourie sealed his first national title after twenty years in the saddle as he surpassed multiple champion Anthony Delpech’s 25 year long record of 334 winners in a season on 8 June 2024 at Hollywoodbets Greyville.
Double Grand Slam and Richard Fourie breaking records at Hollywoodbets Greyville (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
In the process, the passionate hobby fisherman, who rode his first winner on 8 July 2002, earned a R1 million bonus in the Hollywoodbets-sponsored Delpech 334 Challenge. He also set a new Eastern Cape record of 119 winners last season.
Speaking to the Sporting Post early on Saturday, the 38 year old Fourie said that he looked back on his two years and close on 650 winners, which included 13 Grade 1 victories under the Winning Form banner, with fond memories.
“A much-loved and longstanding brand, Winning Form have been more than just a sponsor. Their inspiration, motivation and encouragement was integral to me reaching new professional heights in what was a career gamechanger over two seasons. While only one man can ride a horse, it’s a genuine team effort that helped me to keep going above and beyond, and staying focussed as I travelled across South Africa, chasing the dream of the national title. While I leave Winning Form with great memories, the offer from the powerful Ridgemont team, who themselves have championship title aspirations, is a super opportunity. It’s an honour and privilege to be kitting up in the silks of an international player and I am very excited about what lies ahead,” added Fourie.
Ridgemont achieved their best new generation results to date and a national top five finish on the SA Champion Breeder log, with close on R16 million in stakes earned last season.
The Robertson team also achieved the leading national win percentage strike rate of the top echelon of breeders, and are expected to unleash an exciting bunch of 2yo’s over this season, and beyond.
Fourie follows in the bootprints of former Ridgemont jockeys Anton Marcus and Greg Cheyne, who, like the new man, were both multiple champion elite level jockeys.
Craig Kieswetter welcomed Richard Fourie to their team and said that dedicated riders were vital components in any successful racing operation.
“It is extremely exciting to have Richard join Gareth Wright on the Ridgemont Team as a retained pilot, and he will no doubt add great value to our operation. We have always endeavoured to be dynamic in striving for results and this partnership is another step forward in the direction we want to go. We believe Richard, whose record, ability, and professionalism clearly speak for itself, along with Gareth’s exciting potential and work ethic to play a crucial role in our future success,” added Kieswetter.
Winning Form’s James Rich wished Richard Fourie well in his new association with Ridgemont and said that the past two years had produced unprecedented highs.
“The word ‘record’ also became Richard’s middle name and the partnership was a reciprocally winning one for both ourselves and this extraordinarily talented rider. He was always the perfect gentleman and proved a five-star ambassador for both our brand and for horseracing throughout South Africa. We wish Richard every success and will now look to our new generation of sponsored jockeys, who are waiting in the wings to go on and emulate the heady heights and champion example set by him,” said Rich.
