Muzi Yeni has confirmed that he holds no grudges against his senior colleague Piere Strydom, but hopes that consistency prevails when the authorities consider Striker’s penalty for lashing out and repeatedly striking him with the crop in the latter stages of the fourth race at the Vaal on Thursday.
Hardworking Muzi Yeni – ten day suspension (Pic -Candiese Lenferna)
In a dramatic finish to what started out as a modest MR 84 handicap for fillies and mares, Yeni’s mount Netta (8-1) appeared to hang outwards on to the fast-finishing Fort Anne (18-1) under Strydom in the latter stages.
With his crop in his right hand, Yeni continued to ride Netta while trying to straighten her with the hands.
Strydom’s mount was badly hampered in the process, and the recordbreaking champion appeared to lose his cool just strides before the line – lashing out and appearing to strike Yeni with his right-handed crop.
The result was reversed and Fort Anne was awarded the race, with Netta being demoted to second.
It was something of a hollow victory for Striker, as he will now probably face an inquiry into his actions.
The Sporting Post has not yet had sight of the official Stipes report, but in a brief conversation with Yeni after the racemeeting, the multiple Northern Cape Champion confirmed that he had been given a ten day suspension for careless riding.
“I also got the maximum three months for removing my hands from the reins in the Lyle Hewitson incident. I hope that consistency will be applied in the process when Mr Strydom faces an inquiry,” he said.
When asked why he had not switched whip hands on Netta, Yeni said that he was very close to the line.
Watch the clip – we apologise for the quality
“It’s a very fine line and a split second decision. We are trying to win the race and I was close to the line. I just hope that fairness prevails and that we can move on,” he concluded.
Yeni was suspended for three months in 2019 after he intimidated and interfered with subsequent SA Champion Lyle Hewitson. Yeni took his hand off his left side rein and placed it on Hewitson’s arm during the running of the second event at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 27 July 2019.
Gold Circle reported at the time that the pair came together repeatedly during the running of the race, with the Stipes taking a dim view of some unprofessional riding by both jockeys. Yeni appeared to elbow Hewitson, who retaliated by forcing his mount Mr Greenlight back in behind horses.
In a televised interview on the final day of the season 2018/19 season – when Hewitson dramatically landed a treble to clinch the title by 219 winners to 215 – Yeni claimed Hewitson had received unduly favourable treatment.
Yeni said: “I find it very much an injustice in the whole system in the championship. Lyle was served a two-week suspension in April and they prolonged it until after the end of the season. I thought that was very unfair on me.They call this country the rainbow nation but there is no fairness. I was forced to stand down when I was 12 winners ahead. So how come he can ride?”
Yeni would have won the title had Hewitson, who was coincidentally fully within his rights, been obliged to serve the ban.
The NHRA legal processes were criticised for allowing the perceived ‘manipulation’.
Piere Strydom – won the race but faces inquiry (Pic -Candiese Lenferna)
The Sporting Post was unable to contact Piere Strydom for a comment. He did indicate in an interview late last season that this was likely to be his last term in the saddle.
The six-times SA Champion is 54 years old and has little left to prove.
He rode his 5000th career winner on Joey Ramsden’s Act Of War at Kenilworth in the Selangor Cup on 22 November 2014 and immediately set out to reach the 5000 winner mark on SA soil – as 72 of his career total had been achieved off-shore. He reached that further goal on the Lucky Houdalakis trained Allegorical at the Vaal on Thursday 14 May 2015.
In his 39th year in the saddle, the Port Elizabeth-born Strydom reached another milestone in his illustrious career when he booted home his 5450th winner at Turffontein in August 2020.
