Corne, Trent & William… Ready For The Challenge!

A milestone will be reached at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday in the fledgeling career of SA championship log-leading apprentice Trent Mayhew, who takes his first Grade 1 engagement, courtesy of the Corne Spies-trained William Robertson in the R2 million Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge.

A dual  Highveld Feature Season award winner recently, and star of the Gr1 Computaform Sprint at his last start where he crowned a hat-trick of feature wins, the Ridgemont-bred Rafeef gelding is raced in a partnership by Rob Macnab, Keegan Govender, Xander Spies, Corne Spies Racing (Pty) Ltd & Jannie de Lange’s Waste Glass Recovery (Pty) Ltd.

The now 6yo cost R500 000 on the BSA National 2yo Sale and is a winner of 15 of his 42 starts with 16 places – he has earned over R3 million. What a horse to own!

“After he was allotted 63kg in the Golden Horse Sprint last month, we decided to focus on the Hollywoodbets Gold Challenge. While his record suggests he is a sprinter, and he hasn’t done a mile in a while, he has some decent performances over the trip to his credit. I recall that he ran third at Hollywoodbets Greyville in the 2021 Premiers Champion Stakes and second behind the accomplished export Majestic Mozart over a mile at Turffontein,” muses the 54-year-old Corne Spies in a chat with the Sporting Post on Monday.

In simple terms, Corne says that he respects the quality opposition, but that William Robertson is a ‘big runner and will do well’ from the 2 draw.

He is currently trading at 10-1 with Hollywoodbets.

As regards the engagement of a relatively young apprentice in a tough Grade 1 race, Corne says Trent is a talented young man and deserves the chance.

“We are throwing Trent a bone as he has won on William and works him every day. He has a solid work ethic and we believe in loyalty,” he adds.

Trent Mayhew only returned last week from injury after a four month break off the track. We asked him how he felt about his lead at the top of the log after Brevan Plaatjies whittled that to only 2 following his career-first double at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Sunday?

“Brev is riding up a storm. But I’m not going to watch him closely and will rather focus on myself. Worrying about others only puts oneself under pressure! I have some great rides this week and hope to grab one or two,” says Trent enthusiastically.

As for William’s prospects on Saturday, Trent notes that there are some big names in the line-up, but that he was confident of being right there where it counted. He was going to study the race and watch replays in the build-up.

“William Robertson is a horse with the heart of a lion. Just look at his form line over the seasons. He enjoys the sprints, but he is always under pressure with the speed – like a horse who could well settle and then go and fetch them in a mile.  I am excited. Don’t leave us out!” he laughs.

Trainer Corne Spies is part of the furniture in South African racing circles. He holds a National Diploma in Equine Science to supplement the practical knowledge he received from his father.

In addition to the SA Fillies Nursery twice, Corne has been successful in the Gr1 Computaform Sprint (his most recent elite level strike), Gr1 Allan Robertson with Rock Opera, the Gr1 Golden Horseshoe on July Day with War Horse, the Gr1 Mercury Sprint with Van Halen, the Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint with Singforafa, the Gr2 Emerald Cup with Tommy Gun, and the Gr3 Egoli Sprint with Take Silk, and many more.

A Hollywoodbets -sponsored trainer, Corne Spies won the Northern Cape award for Champion Racehorse Owner in the 2009/2010 racing season.

During the 2014 and 2015 racing seasons, Corne raced a string in Zimbabwe and won the Zimbabwean Trainers’ Title for the 2014/2015 racing season.

The Spies Racing Team have upped their marketing game with son Xander, an Attorney by profession, very active in the business.

Corne’s mentor, Dad Tobie, is a man steeped in horses and grew up with animals on his own father’s farm Haasfontein between Bethal and Middelburg in Mphumalanga.

His father used to take part in the local “bush racing” in the area, racing retired thoroughbreds from the Witwatersrand.

As an amateur jockey, Tobie won his first race on one of these horses when he was 7 years old.

He started his career as a surveyor on the mines because he was too big to be a jockey. He soon proved his worth by becoming the youngest senior official in the Anglo American group with 13 mining qualifications.

The passion for racing always remained with him, and in 1977 he began breeding thoroughbreds as a hobby.

A few years later, when the oldest of his foals reached racing age, he applied for an Owner Trainers license with the former Jockey Club of South Africa, and the rest is history.

Don’t leave William Robertson out on Saturday!