The colour of winning is slowly changing

A scarcity of black trainers has long been a vexed issue in South African horse racing, but prospects of a better future have brightened.

When a horse called Lightning Jimmy won at Scottsville in March, trainer Bo Ngcobo revealed in his post-race interview that the gelding was the sole resident of his Summerveld yard.

That focused attention for the umpteenth time on how black trainers have battled to establish themselves – as opposed to black jockeys, who are becoming dominant in the local game.

New dawn of trainers

Perceived lack of “transformation” in any area of life is a niggle in this country, so it was a relief for the racing world to see three black trainers saddle winners last week.

At Kenilworth, it was Lunga Gila who celebrated his first winner in Cape Town after recently relocating from Gqeberha.

Three-year-old Go It Alone did the job for a young man who has found some success in his hometown but had a nightmare experience with allegedly unplayable owners when he tried his luck on the Highveld.

Cape Racing have given Gila support and encouragement and he is loving life at his new base at Philippi training centre. Jockey Grant van Niekerk brought home the gelding by a handsome 3.25 lengths at a price of 12-1. It was the trainer’s eighth win of the current season (including his wins at Fairview).

At the Vaal, Alson Ndzilana led Red Knot into the winner’s box after an equally dominant performance in a fillies’ maiden plate. Work rider Anathi Feni was resplendent in the blue and white silks of national champion owner Drakenstein – in a clear indication that leading lights in the game are starting to get behind black conditioners.

Ndzilana has all the pedigree needed to make it in a notoriously hard school. Until he took out his licence in August 2023, he was an assistant to the great Mike de Kock at Randjesfontein. Before that he was former Cape Town trainer Joey Ramsden’s right-hand man – and it’s well known that he played a pivotal role in The Conglomerate’s victory in the 2016 Durban July.

Racing treasure James Goodman has made it his mission to ensure Ndzilana has a solid career foundation, helping him secure sponsorships, set up a proper admin system and recruit a few prominent owners.

Red Knot was Alson Racing’s third winner (from 30 starts).

Struggles

When his assistant went on his own, De Kock commented: “There have been really good previously disadvantaged horsemen who have tried to start up but failed because they spent their time looking to pay bills. And then they don’t make it. Alson will have a proper platform to start from. His horsemanship and talent as a trainer are beyond doubt.”

Capping the week, at Turffontein, an older hand, Billy Ruiters, sent out Halberdier to win at 12-1 under Muzi Yeni.

Ruiters, Chris Erasmus’s trusted lieutenant at the Big-T for many a year, enjoyed a fair degree of success when starting out a few years ago, but has recently struggled – along with many other smaller trainers with limited financial cushioning in tough times. That he has the skills to bounce back seems obvious.

To return to Bo Ngcobo: his remarkable story and appeal for more horses to train have borne fruit. A syndicate has dispatched a filly to his Summerveld yard, a one-time winner called Colorado Creek. And racing’s biggest benefactor, Hollywoodbets, has jumped in as a sponsor.

Bo heads to this week’s National Yearling Sale with some bank guarantees in the back pocket.