A racing fan of some 42 years standing, Plumstead-based Brian Onkruid was the winner of our Riverton Stud Vodacom Durban July Top 4 competition and will soon be on his way to the magnificent Robertson farm for a week of R&R at their Wine Down Cottage.
Duncan and Natasha Barry kindly sponsored the lovely prize and we thank them for their generosity.
We pitted 36 celebrity/professional tipsters against SP readers with the mandate to tip the Vodacom Durban July quartet. The 54 year old Brian Onkruid’s entry was adjudged the closest.
Happy winners – Charlene and Brian Onkruid pictured in pre-covid days at the Artscape Theatre
An elated Brian told us that ‘people’s horse’ Kommetdieding was key to his selection.
“I saw one of Kommetdieding’s earlier races when he beat Russian Rock after being slow away. Then I saw Russian Rock win the Cape Guineas for Dean Kannemeyer – and right then I realised how good Kommetieding’s victory was. I told all my friends and family that this is the next Vodacom Durban July winner.”
The man who spends two to three hours per day studying the race card, certainly has a blue-blooded pedigree to find the winners.
Brian told the Sporting Post that his Dad has been a regular punter all his life and introduced him to the Sport Of Kings.
Flashback from way back! Popular Girl (F. Anthony) wins the Southern Cross Stakes over 1000m at Milnerton
“He took me with him to Milnerton Racecourse when I was about 12 years old and I was in awe when I saw the horses in the parade ring for the first time. I was hooked as these beautiful specimens captivated me instantly. As fate would have it, my first bet turned out to be a winner. It was a horse called Have A Ball ridden by Patrick McGivern. It was a long shot in the race and my return was very good for only a few rand. From then on I was truly hooked!”
While Brian maintains a betting spreadsheet – he likens his punting to playing the stock markets – and is one of the few players running at a profit, like every one of us who ever spent a rand on the geegee’s, the hard-luck stories are there for the telling.
“One of my best stories is when I won the Transvaal Pick 6 in December 1996 for an outlay of R12 (120 combinations @ 10 cents a unit) and won R89 000 (R7 416/1). I have won multiple Pick 6 bets before and since. Like Kommetdieding, I have been fortunate to have found many Durban July winners long before the race. Some that come to mind are Classic Flag, Marinaresco, Dunford and Dynasty. The Pick 6 is my favourite punt and one of my biggest hard luck stories is when I lost the Pick 6 many years ago in KZN with Joey Ramsden’s Horse King of Pain. Initially I had him as part of my bet and then took him out to make my perm smaller. I would have collected R300 000. I could not sleep that evening!”
King Of Pain won the 2014 Gold Challenge dictating the pace (Pic – Gold Circle)
We asked Brian if his lovely wife of 31 years supports his racing.
“Charlene fully supports my racing and understands it is my passion. It has always been my policy to hand my wife the winnings. That way the family benefits and racing is always a positive form of entertainment in our home. I also maintain my discipline. If I spend R100 on my Pick 6, I don’t up that to R500 just because I had a win,” he says confidently.
A genuine son of the Cape, Brian was born in Bishop Lavis and lived there for 12 years before moving to Mitchell’s Plain where he resided for another 18 years.
“I completed my High schooling in Mitchell’s Plain and met Charlene in the same area. My first job was as a factory worker in a Printing Company. My wife and I rented a home in Mitchells Plain for a few years before we bought our own home in Ottery in 1998.”
The Onkruids have two daughters, Taryn (30) and Jessica (25).
“We are a very close family and enjoy spending as much time together as we can. We enjoy the outdoors and one of our highlights was when we spent a family weekend away at the Kruger National Park many years ago. We like to travel as much as we can locally.”
Brian worked in the Printing Industry for 27 years and his last post was Plant Manager for an International Printing Company.
“In 2010 I decided to start my own business in the Tourism Industry. I have always had a passion for our country and its cosmopolitan culture. I am a qualified Tourist Guide and I have my own vehicles. Most of our clients come from all over Europe and the USA. I have met some lovely people from all over the globe.”
He concedes that Covid-19 has hit his industry hard.
“Being in the Hospitality Industry says it all. We were one of the hardest hit sectors in our brittle economy. Once the airports were shut, all our clients cancelled all their business immediately. It is a massive struggle to stay afloat in these difficult times. I know that this pandemic has created a bloodbath for the whole country. But my attitude is that giving up is not an option and we need to stay as positive as we can.”
Besides his focus interest on South African racing, Brian is a passionate British Premier League follower and also enjoys cricket, Wimbledon, and South African Rugby.
We asked how he felt about racing’s future.
“I think SA Racing is in a very difficult position. We need some solid leadership to ensure that we win the war. The focus must be on bringing new blood into the game.”
And if he was given the job of CEO of SA racing for a week, where would he start?
“I would get all the role players in to see how we can increase the Cape Town fields. This will improve the revenue from a punting perspective and could lead to improved stake pay-outs for owners.”
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