Cape lightweight Morne Winnaar has come a long way since being plucked from near ignominy by former Cape champion trainer Joey Ramsden over twenty years ago.
Today as a 44 year old beautifully balanced rider, Morne is working harder than ever and has formed a winning partnership with Milnerton trainer, Des McLachlan.
Morne Winnaar gives trainer Des McLachlan a hug after the good win by Jet Force (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
The partnership produced a bright ending to a tricky Hollywoodbets Kenilworth racemeeting on Tuesday when the upwardly mobile 3yo Jet Force was produced round his field from near last going into the 600m, to register his second win from 3 starts.
Starting at 28-10, Jet Force won the Hollywoodbets Bright Future Class 4 1200m easing up and clocked 71,36 secs, beating Woodhill Racing’s Circumbendibus (8-1) by a length.
Aston Arries rode the runner-up and said he came through to win it, but that the winner was progressive and ‘looks to be a horse going places’.
“He was unlucky to be beaten at his second start,” observed trainer Des McLachlan of the gelding who is clearly a black-booker and worth following.
Jet Force is raced by Denis Le Breton, who is also Morne Winnaar’s new sponsor, as well as Alan Taylor and Kenny and Keenia Geemooi. Mr Le Breton flew back home to Mauritius on Tuesday evening, a happy man.
The Beaumont Stud-bred winner was purchased by Monden International Racing Stables for R350 000 off the 2023 BSA November Two Year Old Sale.
He is a son of the handsome and very versatile Varsfontein Jet Master stallion Master Of My Fate out of champion Legal Eagle’s Var half-sister, Ooh La Var.
DLB-sponsored Morne Winnaar gets Jet Force home in the last – the gelding is one for the notebook (Pic – Chase Liebenberg)
Morne Winnaar clearly has a pep in his step as underscored by his regular appearances at the Milnerton Training Centre in the early mornings and we take our hat off to the man from Manenberg who prefers to drive a golf than play golf.
His son Joshwin Solomons has also made him proud as a past regional champion apprentice.
Morne has always been at his best when paired with a strong and supportive yard.
“It’s being allowed to make the mistakes, learn from them and come back on Monday morning with no grudges or ill feelings, that is the tonic. I think our top trainer-jockey combinations over the years have all withstood testing times,” he told the Sporting Post in a previous interview.
Morne also reflected how, in the few times in his life that he was given the opportunities, the loyalty and trust, he had been at his best. But he conceded having also messed things up at times and disappointed himself and his supporters.
He was in the same SAJA intake as Warren Kennedy, Johnny Panas and the late Gift Funeka, but was given the boot for a transgression.
And then had to earn a living riding work for four years.
Those were the days! A file pic of Mike De Kock and Morne’s early mentor, Joey Ramsden (Pic – Supplied)
Former Cape trainer Joey Ramsden became a ‘sponsor’ and took the young Morne under his wing.
The NHA agreed in the early 2000’s to grant the aspiring jockey a dispensation and three years to complete his apprenticeship, provided he rode 40 winners in the period.
“Mr Ramsden changed my life. He cared when nobody else was interested in my nonsense. I rode the required winners within 10 months and they granted me my licence. I was privileged to ride some of the powerful yard’s top horses at the time, but things started going pear-shaped for me,” recounted Morne a few years back.
Then the twists and turns of everyday frailties saw the Brit’s patience run out and Morne was on his own.
But the wheel turns and that’s all history now.
Another man with Mauritius connections, Ricky Maingard enjoyed a double on the afternoon and shared the training honours with Justin Snaith and Candice Bass-Robinson.
The first race on the programme gave Candice Bass-Robinson and Aldo Domeyer the first leg of a double when Churchillian, a full-brother to Winterbach Stud’s Gr1 Computaform Sprint winning stallion Master Archie, continued his sire Rafeef’s excellent run when shedding his maiden at his fourth start.
The next Cape racemeeting is on Tuesday 13 May.
