Team SA leads at International Jockeys Challenge

They lead by 255 points to 152 thanks to a double by Anthony Delpech and another winner from Richard Fourie.

Germany’s Andreas Helfenbein got the internationals off to a good start by riding the Steven Moffat-trained Luala to victory in the first race of the Challenge and Adam Kirby’s second place also earned valuable points, giving the Internationals a 61-39 lead.However, Delpech hit back with a win on the Bradley Maroun-trained Antonius Charm and Fourie’s runner up spot helped South Africa square the tie at 100 points apiece.

Fourie then scored on the St. John Gray-trained Captain Aldo before Delpech ensured he was the leading rider on the day by winning on the his guv’nor Mike de Kock’s charge Ataab.

Juan Paul van der Merwe replaced a booked off Piere Strydom for the final race of the first leg of Challenge and the South Africans achieved the rare feat of filling the first six places in this race.