Friday 13th may be unlucky for some, but for Cape-based apprentice Brevan Plaatjies it will be remembered as the day that he edged into the lead on the SA National Champion Apprentice log with just seven weeks left of the current season.
Brevan Plaatjies – growing in confidence (Pic – Pauline Herman)
The 19 year old booted the Hat Puntano filly Hat Montera home to shed her maiden in the third at Fairview on Friday, capping a race-to-race double for trainer Kelly Mitchley.
The victory took the Pretoria-born Plaatjies to 21 winners for the season, and was his second in consecutive days after Paralegal won the second race for Vaughan Marshall at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Thursday.
Trent Mayhew held the lead on 20 winners throughout his four month injury break, but has not ridden a winner since his return a matter of weeks ago.
Looking ahead to the next seven days, Mayhew has 4 rides at Turffontein on Sunday, with a single engagement at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
Just a week ago, Brevan Plaatjies was bemoaning the fact that he was not getting the rides he had anticipated since relocating to the Cape, but his enthusiasm and improved confidence in the saddle sees him with a full book at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Tuesday, and seven rides at Fairview on Friday 20 June.
The Al Khayl Breeders-sponsored Brevan Plaatjies has firmed to 7-10 with Hollywoodbets on the SA Apprentice Jockeys Challenge, with Trent Mayhew at 12-10 and Kobeli James Lihaba out at 10-1.
While both young riders have said that they are not looking over their shoulder, and are more focussed on building their personal winner bank and lifting their own game, they both want it badly and the title does no harm to anybody’s cv – the likes of Lyle Hewitson, Luke Ferraris and Rachel Venniker, amongst others in recent years, will attest to that!
While it’s the first Friday at Fairview since ‘Pa’ fell off the proverbial bus that Richard Fourie did not find the winner’s enclosure, the reigning champion remains at at the top of the national log with 229 winners, ahead of Gavin Lerena on 223 and Craig Zackey in third, on 220.
The next Eastern Cape racemeeting is at Fairview on Friday 20 June.
