Martin Seidl (photo: hamishNIVENPhotography)
‘Hallo, wie geht’s’ is about the sum total of my German, but as introductions go, ‘Hello, how are you?’ is not a bad start.
Martin Siedl is a 23 year old jockey from Germany, who is visiting South Africa on a working holiday until February 2018.
The young rider arrived in South Africa courtesy of a chance conversation with Dr Andreas Jacobs – whose horse he’d happened to beat – back in 2016 and seizing the opportunity, Martin decided to put his off season to good use by coming to South Africa for a few months’ working holiday.
He is being hosted by Glen Hatt and the young man, who has impeccable English to go with a very impressive CV, has hit the ground running, already putting in some hard work on the Philippi and Milnerton gallops and, perhaps more importantly, has proved a quick study, so much so that he has been given opportunities from Candice Bass-Robinson as well as Patrick Kruyer on Saturday afternoon.
We met him at the Ready To Run gallops at Durbanville on Thursday morning and got to know him a little better.
About Martin
Martin grew up in a small town outside Munich. His father has always been interested in horses and racing – and trotters in particular – and Martin says he has wanted to be a jockey for as long as he can remember.
He started out in the pony rider and amateur ranks, before formally starting his apprenticeship, which he served under Mrs Jutta Mayer in Munich. From Munich, he transferred to the Werner Hefter yard in Baden-Baden and in December 2013 he got the call from Markus Klug, the private trainer to Gestut Röttgen, and joined his yard in Cologne. Martin has been holding his own there ever since as the second rider to Adri de Vries and is stamping himself as one of Germany’s most promising young riding talents.
The young lad has won up to Gr2 level in Germany and names Dschingis Secret as the best horse he’s ridden to date, with wins including the 2016 Group 3 Italian St Leger and the 2017 Group 2 Grosser Hansa-Preis in July this year.
When Opportunity Knocks
The fresh-faced and exceptionally likeable young man explains with enthusiasm that last year he received a call from a Polish trainer, wanting to book him for a ride in a Group 3 at Baden-Baden. He looked up the horse’s record and when he saw it was unbeaten, accepted the ride. Exclaiming that it’s not every day one gets offered a ride on an unbeaten horse, he agrees readily. “It was cool, ja, and I win the race!” he grins. The horse he beat into second was trained by Andreas Wöhler and belonged to Dr Andreas Jacobs.
At the post race reception, he got talking to Dr Jacobs, who asked whether he’d considered riding abroad and offered to assist should he ever wish to ride in South Africa. With a good season in Germany behind him, Martin approached Gestut Fahrhof’s Daniel Kruger at the races in Cologne earlier this year and with the help of Dr Jacobs, Glen Hatt and the Maine Chance team, it was arranged for him to spend a few months working holiday in South Africa while Germany switches to their dirt season for the winter.
With something of a muddle over his departure date, Martin rode at St Cloud in Paris last Friday, managed a flying visit home to say goodbye to his family and left for South Africa on Saturday.
Landed Running
He landed on Sunday, rode work in Philippi on Monday and rode for the Eric Sands, Candice Bass-Robinson and Joey Ramsden strings at Milnerton on Tuesday. He has proven a quick study with a good feel and been rewarded with an engagement on Mary Slack’s Chinkapin in Race 8, the 1800m Lanzerac Pioneer Pinotage FM 73 Handicap on today’s card, as well as the Paddy Kruyer-trained Golden Stiletto in the last of the afternoon.
Martin attended races at Kenilworth on Wednesday to walk the track and reported being impressed with the venue, as well as being very complimentary of our local riding talent, who he says have been very friendly and welcoming. He has also been watching racing replays to try and familiarise himself with the local pace and riding style.
Martin is somewhat on the tall side for a jockey at 5’5, but is blessed in not having any issues with managing his weight and comfortably rides at 53kgs, although he can do a little less if required. He is settling in well with the Hatts and enjoying the Cape summer, particularly as it is currently -6 degrees in Germany.
On the ground he is friendly, approachable and enormously likable and in the saddle, he has a quiet, economical style with a strong, powerful finish.
He is looking forward to suiting up in the Kenilworth jockey room on Saturday and says, “I am very grateful for the support. I’m here for fun and to have some working experience. I’m happy to ride and give of my best. Every time you go out, you see something different and you learn something. Hopefully I will learn something new and meet some new people and with a bit of luck, produce some good rides while I am here.”
Herzlich willkommen, Martin. We hope you enjoy your stay.
