After a record-shattering 2023/24 season, reigning SA Champion jockey Richard Fourie continues to rewrite the history books and broke the East Cape season winner record at Fairview on Friday.
Richard Fourie breaks the Eastern Cape season winner record on Smashing (Pic – Pauline Herman)
Involved in a dramatic three-way tussle with Gavin Lerena and Craig Zackey on the current season championship log, the Ridgemont-sponsored rider broke the East Cape record of 119 set by himself last term when steering the Hollywood Racing-owned Smashing home in the fourth race.
The Hollywood Racing team marked their 663rd lifetime winner and there was plenty of poetic irony in the victory – the daughter of Rafeef was bred by the champion’s sponsors Ridgemont and is trained by Alan Greeff, with whom Fourie has formed a formidable team.
On 12 July 2024, Fourie rode the Alan Greeff-trained Grazinginthegrass to his record-equalling 116th winner of the term in the Eastern Cape.
Greg Cheyne originally set the East Cape record in 2017/2018 with 90 wins, bettered that tally by one in 2018/2019 up to 91, and then made history as the only jockey to exceed 100 wins in Gqeberha in one season when riding 116 winners in the 2019/2020 term.
