Enjoying the best season of his twenty two year career in the saddle, Grade 1-winning rider Sean Veale has been contracted by Hollywood Racing as their first retained jockey.
The 38 year old Cape Town-born lightweight has maintained an industrious work-rate since a flying start to the current season and told the Sporting Post on Tuesday that the Hollywood Racing opportunity had come at ‘the perfect time’.
A muddied Sean Veale with Hollywood Racing Manager Anthony Delpech after winning the Michael Roberts Stakes on Sunday on Imilenzeyokududuma (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
“I am honoured to have been given the vote of confidence by South African horseracing’s most progressive team of passionate horse loving people. Given the growth and success of their operation, what a humbling privilege it is for me to have been granted the opportunity,” he enthused, pointing out the ‘synergy and timing’ of Hollywood Racing’s first winner Splendid Night on 13 March 2002, and his personal career first success on Emmency at Clairwood, just five months later on 15 August.
The father of two is known as one of the hardest working riders around and showed his maturity and ability with a polished tactical ride on Imilenzeyokududuma for Hollywood Racing in the Michael Roberts Stakes on Sunday. The performance had former senior jockey Gavin van Zyl drawing parallels with the legendary eleven-times SA champion Michael Roberts!
Sean Veale steers Imilenzeyokududuma to his second consecutive feature success (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
“The value of having an experienced jockey in the team to provide feedback and who can get to know the individual quirks and traits of our horses cannot be underestimated, and we felt it was a good time, given the growth and diversity of our string nationally, to retain a jockey. Sean Veale has ridden many winners for us and he ticked the boxes in terms of his work ethic, experience and enthusiasm. We welcome him to the Hollywood Racing team and wish him every success,” said Hollywood Racing Manager Anthony Delpech.
Veale, who has focussed on KZN and the Cape, with stints in the Eastern Cape, is currently at fifth position on the SA national log with 64 winners at a strike-rate of 14,3%. He will continue to ride under the Sporting Post banner.
The SA Jockey Academy graduate has had his ups and downs, but has always bounced back from the injury challenges with fearless resolve, even after a shocking fall in October 2023 at Hollywoodbets Durbanville when he fractured his jaw and nose.
The former Capetonian lives by the ‘happy wife, happy life’ credo, with Maxine and their energy-sapping young sons, Cody and Troy, keeping him busy away from the rigours of racing.
