Well done to jockey MJ Byleveld for apologising on Tellytrack for the few moments of madness that saw him responding rather irresponsibly to information badgering by enthusiastic punters in the Vodacom Durban July build-up week.
We have had sight of the exchanges and do not wish to comment on the specifics.
We all live under our own relative stress and the problem is that Twittering is a relatively new public medium where celebrities, sports personalities and Joe Public can mingle on a basis never previously experienced. This gives rise to unchartered liberty taking and natural frustration on both sides.
We have all said things we have regretted, and while jockeys and trainers need to accept that the R2 punter finances their lifestyles, it takes a man to say sorry.
Whipgate – Lerena & Gates Sanctioned
31st March 2025
In one of the most high-profile in-race incidents of the past five years, former SA champion jockey Gavin Lerena was found guilty of four charges, while Jason Gates didn’t escape punishment
