PE trainer Jacques Strydom saddles hot favourite Gogetthesheriff to land the historic inaugural Poly Triple Crown at Fairview today.
Jacques Strydom – upbeat about Friday (Pic – Coastal Photos)
He is quick to defend any comparison between the SA Triple Crown of a fortnight ago and the local version. “Firstly, I’m much better looking than the Azzman and I’m probably in better shape too!” he quips, slapping himself on the belly.
Turning on his serious face, Jacques makes the point that horseracing desperately needed heroes, and just as the outstanding Abashiri, also a son of Go Deputy, had injected new life into Champions Day, and would have positive spin-offs for a long time, so he believed Gogetthesheriff’s rise to prominence had been good for Eastern Cape racing.
Triple Crown – outstanding Abashiri
“We don’t really have the budget to do the t-shirts and caps thing here but we will scream our lungs out and I may even buy a round or two of drinks after races,” he chirped, reflecting on a big day that lies ahead on Friday 13th.
Was he worried about the omen of the date – or the fact that South Africa’s leading horseracing newspaper was interviewing him before, rather than after the event?
“Oh hell no, I am not worried about you guys putting the mockers on us – our horse has overcome wide draws and short trips, and I believe he is too good to be stopped by a newspaper. As for Friday 13th – not even the movie scared me!”
The affable and supremely relaxed Strydom says that he doesn’t fall into the trap of taking himself as seriously as he does his job, his owners and their horses.
“I know racing is full of clichés but nothing is more true than not being able to do it without the owners, their horses and good staff. And I have been fortunate to have had some good ones in all those sectors,” he added, suggesting that this week would be no different to any other.
“We are not talking the same money that Abashiri scooped with his fantastic win, but there is a lot of expectation and naturally a touch of pressure. But, hey, we have the horse and that’s 99% of the war won,” he said in a reference to Gogetthesheriff’s bid to win the East Cape Poly Challenge.
2014/15 Polytrack Horse Of The Year Gogetthesheriff
The rampant Go Deputy gelding has captured the imagination of the PE racing public – and the community at large.
“The hair stood up on my neck in the final 300m of the second leg. There were my colleagues – the likes of top trainers Alan Greeff and Yvette Bremner – shouting my horse home. And I even had Phumelela Executives hugging me when he won! Do they do that in Joburg? The interest has taken my breath away and there is just so much love and fascination for this horse,” he says with tangible pride.
What does he put this charisma down to?
“Must be the trainer,” he laughs in that characteristic witty Windy City style.
Jacques says that patrons like Wimpy Kruger and the Sheriff’s owner Freddie Van Onselen were soldiers who he would go to war with.
“One needs the support – Freddie gave me a budget of R100k to find a good horse at the Michael Holmes Sale. Warren Kennedy had earmarked three, so I focussed on those. The first went for R640k, the second for R260k and I picked up the Sheriff for R75k. The good man above was looking out for me, as had they come up in a different order, I doubt we would be sitting looking forward to Friday as we are,” he said.
The 44 year old, happily married with two schoolgoing children, is PE born and bred and grew up in a horseracing household.
Good times – Dad Hekkie Strydom, Piere, Robert Zackey and Jacques
Dad Hekkie still trains horses and champion jockey Piere is the oldest of five – they also have three sisters.
“Piere is six years older than me so when he went off to the SA Jockey Academy, I was only about 8 or so. I was light – at age 16 I weighed 32kgs – and wanted to go the same route but I have defective vision in my one eye, so wouldn’t have qualified for acceptance.”
Brothers in arms – Piere and Jacques
He learnt the stable management ropes from his Dad and also spent some time in Joburg.
Jacques was also a prolific amateur rider in his day, with a 50% win strike rate that makes some of his brother’s stats look ordinary – on some days, anyway!
“I went to Kimberley to ride for Mike McLachlan years ago. I was down to ride the odds on shot but couldn’t do the weight. So they stuck me on the 100-1 outsider and I rode him about 12kgs overweight. I recall winning by ten lengths! I can’t remember how popular I was – this is a funny game sometimes,” he laughs.
He has a great eye for a good horse and this, coupled with good old-fashioned hard work, has stood him in good stead since taking out his licence in 2001.
Kilconnel’s Blue from Benmarne Stud was the first baby he selected – that went on to win ten races.
Striking View was his first home-bred and also his first top runner. He was feature placed in the Cape but sadly died suddenly.
Surfin’ USA
Surfin’ USA was Jacques’ first J&B Met runner – not bad for a yard of his size in a relatively minor racing centre.
But staying horses have always been his forte, with records broken in SA’s longest race, the PE Gold Cup and also the Glenlair Trophy.
Key Castle powers clear to win the Diamond Stayers
“I have had a few decent stayers – names like Palm King, Me Tarzan and Key Castle, who we bought at 9, spring to mind.”
Jacques explained that there was method in the madness of targeting stayers. “The long distance ranks are less popular and a decent stayer will always pay his way,” he says.
Is there anything he dislikes about training racehorses for a living?
“Probably people who hype up horses. And hand in hand with that, owners who feel that when their horse wins, they should have been given more confidence – when they place, they should have won – and when they run unplaced, they should have at least run a drum! Training horses requires amazing interpersonal skills – that’s why it is better just to surround yourself with good staff and good owners – the horses will follow from the good karma – like it has for Fred Van Onselen, as an example.”
Jacques, based on course at Fairview, has amongst the lowest staff turnover in his 15 years of training for his own account.
JP van der Merwe – in hot seat
“My first groom Raymond is still with me and only six of my grooms have left me over the past decade. Julia and Cabous are my assistants. They work hard – and everybody understands the rules. We are a good trusting team and while we love to win, we are good losers too.”
Back to Friday, would he have felt better to have had his brother Striker in the irons?
“What a question – he is the best, but he won’t be fit. So I have engaged JP van der Merwe. He is a top ten jockey, he won the Met – if he coped with that, then he should handle this step up to the big time!”
His charge has drawn 8 and he faces 9 opponents. Justin Snaith brings two decent sorts to the party.
Is Jacques concerned?
“I am not going to worry about the opposition. We will have the Sheriff at his best and he is even more comfortable over the mile. So let them worry about us rather.”
