Racing genes shine as Kyle Strydom gallops into view

Former South African champion jockey Jeff Lloyd was in his new home in far-off Australia, watching televised action from Scottsville this week, when he spotted something of interest.

An apprentice jockey named Strydom won the last race on the card – in just his second race ride. Intrigued, Lloyd got on the phone to the horse’s trainer, Dennis Bosch – an old friend from when the two were riding rivals in Durban back in the day.

Was this Strydom related to that other old rival of theirs, the one and only Piere “Striker” Strydom? Indeed, he was, replied Bosch.

Kyle Strydom is the nephew of Striker, and the son of Port Elizabeth trainer Jacques, and the grandson of another Fairview trainer, Hekkie. It’s in the blood.

What Lloyd, Bosch, Striker and many other knowledgeable racing people saw in Pietermaritzburg’s gathering evening on Wednesday looked rather like the future of jockeyship in South Africa.

Young Kyle was a model of calmness as he steered four-year-old gelding Transonic to what he proudly describes as a “gun-to-tape” victory up the daunting 1,200m Scottsville straight.

“This horse isn’t the easiest to ride,” observed Bosch. “But the kid never had a moment’s problem. With 200m to go, he was in full control, just cruising in front, and I knew he’d win. My mouth just fell open.”

Transonic was coming off a maiden win and wasn’t among the favourites to win the MR 78 handicap, starting at 11-1.

Soon afterwards, young Kyle’s phone buzzed: a WhatsApp message from Uncle Piere saying well done.

Kyle Strydom’s sole ambition in life has been to be a jockey. He started riding work in his father’s yard at the age of 12, with a favourite old photo showing him as a pre-teen galloping alongside dad on the Fairview training track.

He was considered a tad tall for a jockey, so, instead of enrolling at the SA Jockey Academy at Summerveld at the usual age of 14, he opted to finish his schooling at Pearson High in the Strydom hometown of PE. This year, with his weight on target at age 18, he entered the Academy as a post-matric scholar.

He must still complete a full five-year apprenticeship, which will make him one of the older riders to graduate, in 2025. The last “oldie” to emerge from the Academy was Lyle Hewitson last year – with an amazing SA jockey championship in the bag and another on the way.

The comparisons with Hewitson – also from a racing family and a youthful work rider – are inescapable.

Bosch tells of a scrawny young man who approached him on the Summerveld gallops one day a few months ago asking for the odd scrap of work.

“I didn’t know who he was, but I watched him ride and immediately saw he had nice hands, sat nicely, and there was something special about him that reminded me of the likes of Anthony Delpech and Anton Marcus.”

Could there be a more promising start?

When it came time for Kyle’s racetrack debut, Bosch didn’t hesitate to give him his chance – and the admiration continued to grow. That debut was on Wednesday on a filly called Making Waves.

“I couldn’t believe how composed he was in the parade ring before the race,” enthused the trainer. “He showed no anxiety whatsoever.

“Back when I started riding in 1969 I was a confident bugger, but I was a bit jittery for my first rides,” said Bosch. “Not this kid, he was the epitome of professionalism.”

Kyle does confess to a few butterflies at that point: “I was very excited, but I don’t stress much about anything; so that was a big help.”

The instructions were clear: “Don’t think about the owner, the trainer, the groom or other riders. It’s just you and the horse. Enjoy yourself.”

Enjoy it he did, though he does admit the hectic pace of the 1000m dash took him by surprise. Nonetheless, he got the filly home safely in midfield and the initiation was over.

A little more than an hour later, came the second milestone: that first winner – on another headstrong horse.

Kyle Strydom’s ambitions are no surprise: win as often as possible and get chances in bigger and bigger races. And one day ride overseas.

The record of South African jockeys abroad is phenomenal. Who’d bet against Strydom following in the footsteps of Michael Roberts, Basil Marcus, Douglas Whyte and Jeff Lloyd? And a certain other Strydom.

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