South African riders consider revisiting Australian sale

A renewed confidence in a rejuvenated racing scene in South Africa is prompting trainers to consider returning to the Australian yearling market for the first time in years.

Mike de Kock and his clients have supported the Australian yearling market in recent years but those horses, including prized stakes winner Letsbefrankbaby, were trained in Victoria by his son Mathew and Robbie Griffiths.

His South African trainer peers, however, have been largely ignored at the Australian sales, hampered by a weak exchange rate for the rand, which has also been exacerbated by the turbocharged value of Australian stock, making their competition increasingly difficult.

But renewed confidence in the local racing industry could prompt a group of South African owners and trainers to once again use Australia as a source of young horses to supplement their local stock.

Cape Racing chairman Greg Bortz has been instrumental in a coordinated investment to raise the profile of thoroughbred racing in South Africa.

It includes the takeover of Cape Racing in partnership with online betting company Hollywoodbets and the soon-to-be-official acquisition of Gold Circle, the racing operator in the KwaZulu-Natal province where Durban’s Greyville racecourse is located.

“We’re in the process of clearing the final regulatory hurdles. We’re very committed to it, we voted with our feet, we invested our money and I think we’ve seen a remarkable renaissance of the industry and we have no intention of stopping there,” Bortz said.

“By putting money into the sport we’ve re-stimulated the interest of owners and we’re starting to see that pay off. We’re starting to see prices (for horses) go up at sales, the number of entrants go up. Those are all good signs.”

Prominent Cape Town-based trainer Justin Snaith is optimistic about the future of racing in South Africa.

“For the first time our racing is up, we’re back in the game and that can justify going overseas and buying horses,” Snaith said. “Yes, we’re back in the international market for sure.”

Trainer Dean Kannemeyer was a regular at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

“We have bought some (South African) classic race winners there but we haven’t been back for some time,” Kannemeyer said.

“Of course, with the local South Africans, it’s getting harder to buy with the (weak) rand. Australia has been very, very good. It’s always been a great time, so we’re looking forward to going back.”

The easing of horse export protocols has played a key role in the recovery of the South African industry and South African Equine Health and Protocols chief executive Adrian Todd is hopeful more deals can be struck.

The UK is expected to make a decision on its audit of South Africa’s African horse sickness protocols soon. A positive outcome would see the UK join the European Union while the US would also allow the import of South African horses.

“It’s an opportunity for South Africa to try to broaden negotiations with other potential trading partners and it’s an opportunity for South African horses as a whole to get out of South Africa without the onerous requirements of going through Mauritius which, until this happened, was the only way out,” Todd said.