Donovan Dillon
Another South African jockey has done the rainbow nation proud on the world stage! KZN based apprentice Donovan Dillon won the Qatar Apprentice International Challenge held in Doha from February 26 to 28.
The 19-year-old Dillon won the competition with a total of 16 points garnered from a fourth place in the first leg, a sixth in the second and a win in the third leg. Currently in the fourth year of his five-year stint at the South African Jockey Academy in Durban, Dillon has emerged as one of the most promising young riders in this country.
The apprentice challenge was run over three days, with one race scheduled for each day of the Qatar racing festival. The rider with the most points was declared the winner. Dillon, who was acco-mpanied to Qatar by SA Jockey Academy headmaster Graham Bailey, clashed with top youngsters from 13 countries including Japan, Malaysia, Turkey, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Mauritius, Oman, Bahrain and Macau.
Riders in the competition in addition to Dillon, included Shimada from Japan, Yee Mo Choi from Macau, Ali Hassan of Bahrain, Hyeok Lee from South Korea, Malaysian Mohammed Fadzlei Ismail, Muanis Al-Siyabi of Oman, Yasin Pilavcilar from Turkey, the UAE’s Saeed Al Mazrooei, Naif K. Alanazi for Saudi Arabia, Nooresh Juglall from Maurituis, Darry De Ocampo of the Philippines and Qatar’s Faleh Bughanaim.
Jockeys were guaranteed two races each and received 10 points for a win, six points for second and one point less for each place down to and including seventh. The first leg, a mile over turf for Thoroughbreds was won by Hi Holy, with Nooresh Juglall up. The second leg, which was a mile restricted to purebred Arabians, was won by Naif K. Alanazi, aboard Suwaida.
Dillon finished the competition in style, with a 10-point win aboard Lady Moonlight in a 1200m sprint. That win took him to first place overall. In the all-Thoroughbred race over turf, the 3-year-old, Irish-bred filly beat Yes We Can Dream, who was ridden by Faleh Bughanaim.
Dillon won his first ride back in South Africa, when he partnered the Frank Robinson trained Emperor Niarchos to a smooth win in the first race at Clairwood on Sunday.
