Kenilworth Racing Co-Chairman Robert Bloomberg has been hunkering down in his luxurious Clifton bunker to see out the lockdown.
He took some time out to answer a few questions for Tabnews about racing and life in general.
- Tell us about your early life.
Capetonian born and bred. Went to Rondebosch Boys High and then Abbott’s College for my matric year. Lived in the Southern Suburbs until I moved to the Atlantic Seaboard 35 years ago.
- Did you come from a racing family?
My late grandfather, Abe Bloomberg, was chairman of the now defunct Cape Turf Club (Milnerton and Durbanville racecourses) for some 30 years and was widely regarded as being “Mr Racing” in his time.
He kindled my interest but both he and my dad absolutely hated my racing, or should I say my gambling interest! They did everything possible to stop me including firing me in my first year of law articles because I attended Met gallops before work.
I also think they had a hand in my being shunted off to Walvis Bay to work in a communications centre in the desert near Swakopmund while I was doing my national service in the SA Navy. They both however failed dismally in their endeavours!
- What was the first horse you owned?
Water Garden – trained by Mike Schuleman. Peter Dembitzer and my longest standing friend Colin Levine had shares with me. She won three races the first being on 16 February 1985 with the late “Rooies” Fourie in the saddle.
I only had one horse because the committee conveniently limited me to one horse! In those days you had to appear before this intimidating committee made up by the likes of my grandfather, Abe Swersky and Arnold Galombik and you had to produce your bank statements and financials and were literally interrogated before they agreed to your having colours.
- Best horse owned?
Winter Solstice. I managed to purchase a share in him after his first Queen’s Plate win and he won me three Grade 1 races being a Queen’s Plate, the Gold Challenge and the Champions Cup. He was also Equus Horse of the Year in 2005.
- Career Highlight(s) as an owner?
Winning the 2005 Durban July with Dunford particularly as I had purchased him as one-time winner from eight career starts. Also, the 2004/2005 racing season was monumental. I won eight Graded races – the Grade 1 Durban July and Grade 3 Peninsula with Dunford; Grade 1 Gold Challenge, Grade 1 Champions Cup and Grade 2 Drill Hall Stakes with Winter Solstice; the Grade 2 KZN Fillies Guineas, the Grade 2 Odessa Fillies Championship and the Grade 3 Gold Circle Oaks with Joshua’s Princess.
Dunford wins the 2005 July
My horses that season, albeit that they were in partnership, earned more stakes than Graham Beck did in winning SA Owner of the Year and so Equus kindly rewarded me with an Exceptional Achievement Award as an owner in 2005.
In total, I have been fortunate to win nine Grade 1 races with back-to-back Cape Flying Championships with the brilliant Cordocelli who won 17 races; the Germiston November Handicap with Quick Wit, the Champions Cup with African Lion and the Castle Tankard with Grisham being the others.
- Your best horses have been spread around a number of trainers. How do you choose your trainers?
I have acted in a legal capacity for many trainers, so it is impossible to support one and have horses with all. In the old days my forte lay with buying horses-in-training and I would place these horses with the trainers I believed best-suited to training those particular horses. Obviously, the majority of my horses are in the Western Cape, but I only have shares in 10 in training now compared to the turn of the century when I had in the region of 30 at any given stage.
- Who are your closest friends among the trainers and the jockeys in racing?
I’m not sure I have any! From within the training ranks Vaughan Marshall, who I speak with almost daily, is a good mate and Tony Rivalland, who stayed with me for four months when he brought Senor Santa, Harry’s Echo and Harry Hill to the Cape in 1988; and I have always remained close friends and Paddy Kruyer who I have known for 40 years and met when I was dating his sister and he was assistant to the late, great, Terrence Millard.
Among the jockeys definitely my “unofficial child” Anton Marcus – and Felix Coetzee who stays just around the corner from me, but who spends two to three months in Hong Kong.
- You are regarded as a keen punter. How are you keeping occupied in that sense with most racing and other sport side-lined?
Racing is going through extremely turbulent times right now with a very uncertain future due to the parlous financial circumstances we find ourselves in.
So, while I may be confined to my home, it is pretty much business as usual with continual discussions and teleconferences taking place. I’m also lucky to have a gym at home so can continue to stay fit in the process.
- What guidelines or advice would you give in terms of being successful as a punter over time?
Everything is about value. By that I mean price. Try and avoid being lured into backing false favourites who don’t have the form or ability to justify their odds but in the main are only those prices because of the trainer or more often the jockey on-board. I never back odds-on shots outright.
I will however take a double which is my main bet of choice. With a treble or quad you have no margin for error so I avoid those bets. With straight bets I don’t like to have a wager at under 2-1. “Middle pins” – 6-1 and upwards is where I usually find the best value.
- You are married to Janine and have a daughter Casey (15) and stepson Josh (28). How has getting married and having children changed your life and lifestyle?
Sadly, I am now an official pensioner having “hit” 60 last year. Apart from the ownership numbers having dwindled, nothing much else has.
Josh has his own life invariably involving some or other sporting activity and Casey has a huge circle of friends and unfortunately a boyfriend so I’m not exactly on her radar.
As for Janine, she still tells me she lives in a tote with an Egyptian and that sport never stops as every day there is some “pawpaw” playing against some “banana” and it is beyond her how I can have three plasmas on – watching 3 different sporting events – at the same time! And yes, I’m still ruining her weekends.
- What other hobbies and interests do you have?
I am a sports fanatic particularly rugby and cricket. I lost interest in football 15 years ago when Leeds United were relegated and last season they were top of the table at the end of the year and cocked that up. Now they in the self-same position and along comes coronavirus! I enjoy movies, the theatre (not opera or ballet) and music, especially rock.
- What do you think racing can do to come out of the current shutdown due to Covid-19 in the best possible shape?
Hopefully trainers will continue to exercise and work their horses as per normal so that when we get the green light to recommence, we have fit horses ready to go. We have played our part across the board in having permits issued to essential workers and keeping the respective training centres operational
- Going forward what changes do you see to our racing model as a result of this national crisis?
There is no doubt that there will be significant changes. If I did know the answers and with on-going discussions taking place with all stakeholders, confidentiality would prohibit me from saying anything at this juncture, but right now I can honestly tell you that we haven’t arrived at a solution as yet.
I do however fear another stakes reduction, which appears unavoidable, in the short to medium term.
- Tabnews
