The Boy Has Become A Man

A prodigious talent on any average day, last Saturday’s WSB 400m Dash winner Jason Gates is one of our most capable Gr1-winning lightweight riders and celebrated his 23rd birthday on Wednesday 10 May.

A lot has changed in the instantly likeable, yet mercurial, young man’s life in the year since his 22nd birthday celebration.

Today Jason has a wife and a beautiful daughter, and is finding the responsibilities of being a Dad and husband the ultimate tonic to growing up.

The Gates family are resident in Pietermaritzburg.

Strategically that’s probably not ideal with the recent closure of Ashburton. But the energetic Jason is up at sparrow and on the traffic-free N3 to Summerveld when most of KZN is still in lala land.

He said the residential arrangement works well as his wife Della, a former assistant in the Duncan Howells yard, has her Mom to support her with eight-month old Amori, the apple of Jason’s eye.

“Della looks after Amori and it helps having her Mom there with her. We have a flat in Durban, so when it’s a Hollywoodbets Greyville raceday, I will go to Summerveld and ride work, and then it’s off to the flat to freshen up before races.”

Like any young athlete adjusting to the rigours of life as a professional sportsman in a dog-eat-dog world, the well-meaning and once emotionally naïve Jason concedes that he has been his own worst enemy at times.

But he is adamant that his new family are the foundation stone and rock that he has always cried out for.

“Being a single guy can be fun,  but it can also mean a rudderless existence. Now every time I drive to work or throw a leg over a horse at races, I’m doing it for my wife and daughter. I love it!” he says enthusiastically.

He then dons his serious face as he adds that when he looks back today, he only now realises how much he still has to learn.

“I have had some great people help and guide me – like Mr Garth Puller and Mr Joao Da Mata. But I have  rattled some  cages along the bumpy road. But really and truly, it was never malice. Just plain ignorance. I was a newbie in horseracing, I was clueless about dealing with people, and saying the wrong thing at the right time became my second name,” he reflects as he turns the chat to bringing Trafalgar Square home for Dennis Bosch in the unique dash at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Saturday.

It’s a victory that gave Jason great satisfaction and he believes that he could just about have won on any horse in the race.

“I am not bragging but I am now two from two in the Dash. I won the inaugural race on the Australian-bred filly Effortless Reward – she still holds the record and was one of Mrs Suzette Viljoen’s early ‘feature’ successes. Then in 2020 I waited for the riding engagement and it never came. So I watched from the sidelines. Then it was two years of covid and we had the third renewal on Saturday. I was originally engaged to ride Donquerari, but that never materialised. Then Mr Bosch called me about Trafalgar Square. It’s a story with a happy ending,” he smiles proudly.

Born in Pretoria, Jason’s career started in 2014 when West Rand-based John The Butcher, thought that the wide-eyed youngster looked like he’d make a good jockey.

Jason says that he didn’t know a single thing about horseracing before the ultimately life-changing encounter in Goldman Street, Florida.

“John saw me in his shop one day, dressed in my school uniform. He is not a punter, his interest was not about betting. I was just a small kid who happened to walk into his business. I was quite fit, maybe I looked a sporty type, so I struck him as someone who should be a jockey. My parents also had no knowledge,  and in fact no interest,  in racing but they helped me to apply.”

Almost a decade on, Jason boasts his first Gr1 winner courtesy of Canadian Summer in the Thekwini on Gold Cup day of 2022.

But he frankly admits that the milestone hasn’t exactly been an instant passport to success and his phone is not exactly ringing off the hook.

 

That is why he has now appointed an agent in the shape of Ryan Richards.

“We have broken through in the Eastern Cape and recently had our first full card of rides. Jason goes to scale comfortably at 52kgs and he has been well received. We will look at Johannesburg too, but for now we are focussing on growing Jason’s capacity in KZN and the Eastern Cape,” Ryan told the Sporting Post.

Owner and successful businessman Preggie Somasundram is another majorly influential player in the evolving Jason Gates success story. 

A popular and well-known racing personality, Preggie owns logistics company African Spear, who are the birthday boy’s sponsors.

“I am so proud to race under a brand like African Spear. Mr Somasundram is an astute businessman, loves his horses and his racing, and he helps me so much. I’m very, very fortunate to enjoy a sponsorship of this level and I hope to make him proud!” enthuses Jason.

Looking at the Champions Season, Jason’s favourite filly Canadian Summer was scratched from the Hollywoodbets Durban July on Monday and her 3yo season is sadly over after an unfortunate injury in work last week.

“We are all disappointed, but she is still growing and will come back stronger as a 4yo. She is an amazing and very valuable filly and is worth waiting for! And Mr Somasundram has some lovely youngsters in the wings. So we have it all to play for!” he adds.

Jason Gates is happy to travel nationwide – contact agent Ryan Richards on 084 620 5606.