Reigning KZN Champion trainer Gareth van Zyl enjoyed a career milestone at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Youth Day when he saddled a record six winners on a dream afternoon.
Gareth van Zyl is all smiles as he and Hollywood Racing manager Anthony Delpech lead Rafa’s Boy (Sean Veale) in after his super six (Pic – Candiese Lenferna)
Fresh off a victory with King Pelles in the Tote Gr3 Derby at the same venue 48 hours earlier, the 39 year old Summerveld-based Hollywoodbets-sponsored conditioner enjoyed a dream public holiday racemeeting that he won’t forget in a hurry.
Winning the first four races on the card, Gareth saddled the final double to cap his memorable ‘super six’.
Nicholas Patel won the opener on first-timer Wild Justice, who beat the popular pick, Holy Star.
Smanga Khumalo had his own dream day, with five winners and he was on the next four Van Zyl winners, scoring in the second on another first-timer in Serengetti Sunrise, the third on Are You Sure, and the fourth with Prankster.
The famous ‘Bling’ dismount after Luhamba Phambili’s victory (Pic -Candiese Lenferna)
In the final two races of the day, Khumalo booted Luhamba Phambili home, while Sean Veale took Rafa’s Boy all the way in the final race, to give Hollywood Racing a double. Rafa’s Boy was the leading team’s 676th winner.
Gareth van Zyl leads the KZN trainers log with 38 winners at a strike race of 12,3% and gross stakes of over R4,1 million. He took out his licence in 2016, with his first runner on October 28 of that year, a winner.
Khumalo’s 5 winners came from only 6 rides on the day and he is on 38 winners this term. He only returned to race-riding in March after a long injury break.
