Richard Fourie is in record-breaking form. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
When leading jockey Richard Fourie said on Sunday it was “just a chip and a putt from here” for him to break the record for most wins in a season, many a golfer would have had a sinking feeling.
A chip and a putt are never straightforward for happy hackers.
But “Richie” is showing no sign of the golf-chip yips as he closes on former champion Anthony Delpech’s record of 334 wins – and a R1-million prize that dangles on that feat.
Fourie burst through the 300-winner mark when he steered home Glen Kotzen-trained juvenile colt Commanding in the opener at Scottsville on Sunday.
He added a further two wins to his tally before the end of the day and, with another 10 weeks to go until the season closes at the end of July, the personable lad from Cape Town looks a dead cert to smash the record.
Indeed, it has been just 10 weeks since he chalked up his 200th victory of the term, so the winning spree is accelerating. Mathematically, 400 is possible; 350 seems assured.
Last year at around this time, log leader Keagan de Melo hit an uncommonly long dry spell and must have been a bit worried that fast-closing Fourie might overhaul him. In the end, though, De Melo rediscovered his winning ways and took the championship with 277 to the runner-up’s 258.
Of course, potential injury and suspension also lurk for title-chasing jockeys, so nothing is guaranteed. Fourie recently picked up a two-week riding ban for overdoing things with his crop but appeals against the sentence should postpone it till after the cheque is in the bank.
When Hollywoodbets first announced the R1-million record-breaking incentive – with company ambassador Delpech himself enthusiastically promoting it – many observers reckoned the money was safe with the bookmaker. The season would see less racing, with Monday meetings having fallen away. Also, Zimbabwe statistics no longer counted down south.
Fourie silenced such talk with a seemingly tireless campaign. Once he’d pulled clear in the chase, his rivals sensibly conceded. After all, who wants to go to the trouble of a year’s ceaseless air travel and riding only to wind up second and miss out on the big bucks?
With no-one in hot pursuit, Fourie has been able to secure more “plumb” rides from leading stables than is usual for even top riders. And he’s made that count.
In second place, some 150 behind, is Muzi Yeni, while Gavin Lerena is on 138, Calvin Habib on 124 and Craig Zackey on 122.
Apart from the one-million bonus, an incentive for the young man has been his ambition to ride in Japan, where such an amount is relative peanuts. A requirement for a riding licence in Japan is a signed-and-sealed national championship.
After that 300th visit to the winner’s circle, the ace said: “To my ex-wife Tatum and my children, as well as my partner Andrea, thanks for making the sacrifices.
“To my support team, my agent Ken Nicol, it’s a chip and a putt from here. To my drivers in all the centres, to all the trainers and owners, and to my colleagues.
“The jockey room is a different place than it was five years ago. We are like family; in fact, the jockeys see each other more than we do our families and friends in many cases.”
