That Old Man Striker, he just keeps rolling…

“I definitely can’t stop now.” Fans of Piere Strydom cheered when the master jockey uttered these words after winning the Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein on Saturday.

Strydom, 56, has been hinting at retirement from the saddle for years, but – like a presidential decision – it keeps getting put off.

Soon after the great man rode his 5,000 career winner in November 2014, rumours of retirement started, picking up when he turned 50 in June 2016. But the most successful jockey in South African racing history keeps on rolling, like Old Man River.

Eventually, “Striker” himself set 5,500 winners as an appropriate cap to a career that has seen him win six national jockey championships and be widely named as the finest jockey the country has seen.

Swansong

Well, he reached the 5,500 in November last year, on Admiralty Arch at a midweek race meeting at the Vaal. However, the target then became a bid for a fifth Summer Cup victory, then a second Cape Met…

When Strydom pitched up at Guineas Day at Turffontein at the weekend with three rides booked – at odds of 25-1, 14-1 and 50-1 – there must surely have been a few racegoers wondering if they were witnessing the swansong of a champ.

But, in his first job of the day, all the old mastery was brought out and put on display. He steered long-shot Lady Of Power to a stunning pillar-to-post victory in the 1600m Fillies Guineas, for another veteran practitioner, trainer Joey Soma.

He got his nickname “Striker” in the 1980s from Joburg punters who marvelled at his ability to time a run to perfection, flashing up to grab honours in the final strides. But some people remember how he also reinvented the dying art of frontrunning tactics – which were not much used when he came on the scene.

Lady Of Power’s win was out of the Strydom 1980s/1990s playbook – aided and abetted by Lady Of Power’s remarkable gate speed and early acceleration.

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In his post-race interview, Strydom commented: “I thought it was a false start; I looked around because I thought, why am I so far clear and she is doing it so easily?

“Top of the straight … I realised I was still well clear. So, it was just a matter of keeping her going. She pricked up her ears, so she was very relaxed and going at her own speed. If she was good enough, she was going to hold on – and obviously I’m so happy she did hold on.”

Here’s a horseman who feels instinctively what his mount might need in a race.

Then he broached the issue of pension after 30-odd years in the irons: “Chapter 34? This chapter might get a little bit long!”

He reckons Lady Of Power, a daughter of Master Of My Fate out of a Fort Wood mare, will “definitely” get the 1800m of the Wilgerbosdrift SA Fillies Classic – the second leg of the Triple Tiara, to be contested on 4 March. The 2450m of Leg 3, the SA Oaks a month later, would seem to be within her range, too, considering her rapid improvement in recent months.

“I’ve been thinking about retiring at some stage; I just dunno which day.” No kidding?

“But now, with this filly winning the first leg of the Triple Tiara, I definitely can’t stop now.”

Then there’ll be the Champion’s Challenge. Oh, and possibly another Durban July…