Jockeys face slings and arrows of outrageous fortune

Who’d want to be a jockey? There are clear positives to riding racehorses for a living – such as the exhilaration of travelling at high speed on a galloping steed; and being the centre of attention when your mount wins the race, looking across an excited throng and snapping photographers from the heights of the saddle. And then there’s the money – if you’re successful.

But within these attractions are seeds of pain and anguish. For one thing, it’s a dangerous business: parting company with half a ton of striving horseflesh bumping along at 60 kays an hour can leave a mark. It’s famously the only occupation that requires an ambulance to follow you as you do your job.

Also, there are emotional perils. Jockeys need thick skins because they are first in the firing line when things don’t go right.

Sore punters need someone to blame for their financial losses; frustrated owners seek a target other than their darling horses, and losing trainers must have someone to deflect attention on to.

Poor jocks. They must endure lifelong teasing about being short-arses who need cushions on the seats of their large cars, not to mention blocks on the foot pedals. (At least they can afford those posh vehicles they tend to indulge in!)

Even when they are very good at their jobs they come in for stick.

Take Gavin Lerena, a former South African champion jockey who has won scores of top races at home and abroad, including the annual International Jockey Challenge in the racing hotbed of Hong Kong and the Victor Ludorum title at the UK’s Shergar Cup.

One of the nicest blokes in racing has had to shrug off endless carping by the chattering mob about his capabilities – from downright slander on social media to silly comments by know-it-alls.

Last week, a pundit pronounced that punters should be wary of backing a Lerena-ridden horse at Kenilworth because he has a sub-par winning percentage in Cape Town. The Joburg-based rider has won at Ascot and Sha Tin but can’t be trusted in Mountain Goat territory?

Well, Gav responded in pleasing fashion at the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate Festival at the weekend. On Friday he won on both his mounts – Bold Diva for Cape Town trainer Harold Crawford, and Celtic Sea for Joburg raider Sean Tarry – for a 100% winning ratio.

On Saturday he had five engagements and triumphed on two – Chimichuri Run for Tarry and Cabo Da Cruz for Durban raider Dennis Drier. In the main race, he was a creditable third on Rainbow Bridge.

Another knight of the irons who’s had to bite his lip this week is redoubtable Anton Marcus, also a former national champion.

After 5-10 favourite Hawwaam finished fifth in the Queen’s Plate, Mike de Kock partly blamed the failure on “not a very good ride from Anton Marcus”.

Perhaps. Few would argue with the views of the master trainer, but, reflecting on an erratically paced contest after a long delay to the start, one feels inclined to cut Marcus some slack.

Anyway, he, too, has heard it all before. Indeed, after the Kenilworth action, Marcus flew to his home province of KwaZulu-Natal for three measly rides at Greyville on Sunday – none of them rising to the occasion – before winging it all the way back to Cape Town for Tuesday’s meeting and just two bookings.

Both of those horses won, no doubt giving the ace some small feeling of consolation for being slagged off by the big guy.

Craig Zackey is a jockey who has had a share of criticism in the past. However, at the moment he’s enjoying the upside of his crazy profession; people can’t stop praising the personable young man for his brilliant effort aboard Vardy in the Queen’s Plate – driving the progressive four-year-old to rally from the rear of the field and blitz past a top-class field and win going away.

Zackey’s face in the winner’s circle was a picture of ecstasy in victory.

“I knew he was going to win,” he declared. “He was off the bit throughout the race and then he picked it up turning for home. He has a turn of foot like no other! I can’t believe how easily he won,” he continued. “This horse is definitely one of the loves of my life.”

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