KZN-based apprentice Kyle Strydom produced the magic touch on a memorable Friday at Fairview when he booted home three winners, including a maiden career stakes success – and that on a horse saddled by his trainer Dad, Jacques Strydom.
The twenty year old nephew of the legend Piere Strydom was crowned SA Champion Apprentice last season and continues to grow in stature and confidence, as he displayed when winning on the rejuvenated Divine Odyssey (Johan Janse van Vuuren), Chere For Me (Jacques Strydom) and Storm Chaser(Zietsman Oosthuizen).
And while he will take any winner, it was the Riverton-bred Chere For Me who stormed clear to win the R150 000 Listed East Cape Fillies Nursery, that would have given him the greatest pleasure.
Riverton-bred Chere For Me storms home to win the Nursery under Kyle Strydom (Pic – Pauline Herman Photography)
“It’s an honour and a privilege to reach this milestone on a horse trained by my Dad. He deserves the success and thanks to the owners and the team. She is a really smart filly,” he said of what was the first stakes winner for the pensioned Tapit stallion, Coup De Grace.
Sponsored by Ludeim, Kyle added that he only travelled back home to Gqeberha if the quality of the rides made it worthwhile.
“It’s expensive to fly backwards and forwards. I’m just pleased I achieved this winner in our hometown. On Saturday it’s back to Durban and I’m riding at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday,” he said.
Asked whether the new rising star and log-leader Rachel Venniker was ruffling his feathers at all, Kyle laughed and said he had every respect for his colleague.
Kyle Strydom is all smiles Pic -Pauline Herman Photography)
“At races we are all there to win. But back at the Academy we are friends. Good competition is good for all of us!”
While the Cape raider Certainly (6-10) was all the rage on Friday, Chere For Me was easy to back at 10-1 and she really won well when turning on the jets at the 200m down the inside to beat Futura debutante Ekoria (16-1) by 2,25 lengths in a time of 69,15 secs.
Recent debut winner Holly’s View (6-1) found her stride late to pip Certainly out of the Place Accumulator.
Bred by the Barry’s at Riverton in Robertson, the winner is by Coup De Grace, who was the first son of Tapit to stand in South Africa. One of the fastest of his generation, the multiple graded stakes winner didn’t prove a commercial success and has been retired.
Chere For Me is out of Riverton stalwart Red Eminence (Grey Eminence).
She has now won 2 races with 2 places from 4 starts for stakes of R153 875.
Kyle Strydom has now ridden 82 winners in total.
