With the dust having settled and a sense of normality having returned after his second career Grade 1 winner, World Sports Betting Cape Town Met winning jockey Daniel Muscutt says that he has had an ‘unbelievable’ reception from South Africa and UK based racing fans and friends, as well as the media.
Daniel, the son of leading KZN trainer Peter Muscutt, produced perhaps the biggest moment of his riding career with a brilliantly timed effort on Double Superlative in the World Sports Betting Cape Town Met at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth last Saturday.
Daniel enjoys a selfie with a spectator (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
It was a second win at Grade 1 level for last year’s all-weather champion jockey, who previously won the 2022 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Dubai Mile.
Daniel, who booted Private Bryan home at Kempton on Wednesday, spoke to the Sporting Post today and said that he started Saturday ‘without enormous expectations’, but that winning the ‘big one was huge!’
SA champion trainer Justin Snaith said after the big race that Daniel was the only jockey to walk the course on Friday.
“I thought, the game is on! The horse is well and the jockey is focused and a real professional.”
Daniel thanked the owners and the Snaith Racing team, and all the trainers who had supported him on the day.
We asked him how it was feeling to be back in the daily grind and cold.
“It is lovely to get back to Claire and Florence! But I really wasn’t quite expecting the people back home to take as much notice of the win as they have. So many folk have congratulated me and shook my hand, I have had interviews with various television channels and At The Races. An unbelievable reception!” he explained.
Daniel says that all round it was ‘an amazing day’ after not having ridden at the venue for some six years.
“It was great to have Dad there – even if he didn’t have a great day. But that’s the game we are in. When you are up you are up, and when you’re down, you are down. We all get our turn. But we had some great quality time together, and that was important.”
Daniel told how he was astounded by the improvements to the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth grandstand and the track in general.
Winning trainer Justin Snaith and Daniel’s Dad, Peter Muscutt enjoy the moment (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
“It was a great atmosphere with a really busy and lively crowd contributing to the buzz. I was taken with the beautiful décor and the flowers – it just contributed to the prestige of what has always been a great day of racing in South Africa,” he reflected.
On the reaction to his win from the local riders, he says they were all kind and sporting.
“I have many friends in the riding ranks and I was treated with such kindness and support from the SA jockeys. The spirit in the Hollywoodbets Kenilworth weighing room was great – once again, I really can’t put into words how special it was for me.”
He paid a special tribute to Cape Racing Chairman Greg Bortz and his own sponsors Hollywoodbets, who have invested heavily in the turnaround of the sport in the region.
“The project is a work in progress and already a resounding success. Everybody is talking about it and hearing about some of the big plans that are in the pipeline to continue the upgrade, this has to be very exciting for racing in South Africa.”
