My memories of SA racing

The late Billy Harvey rode Gondolier......... ami right guys, for trainer Pat Antelme... probably his ONLY graded winner ever....but I may be wrong here.

The on course stories are great but there were also a few really great places off course that bring back great memories. In Jhb there was I think someplace called The Horse and Carriage with all the regulars and many visitors even Dave Mollet appeared a few times. These places had really good vibes where everyone chatted and discussed horses and drank and had a few laughs. That doesn't really seem to be the case anymore. The old Loveday street rooms were an eye opener when I was growing up. A place called The Docks at the old Waterfront where all the regulars and the IGN presenters all used to pop in was also great. The old Durban Tatts was also great sadly those vibes seem to have long gone. Durban had some gems as well long since bitten the dust.

I remember the old Durban Tattersalls , there was one bookmaker , the name now escapes me who when a heavily punted horse was running , would go under the counter with a crash helmet on for good luck and not listen to the race , there where some characters in those days :lol:

Dave Scott wrote: Newmarket racing at night was my fav, it was always a mission to get there from Pretoria but the atmosphere was great and the horses could also fly at that 1000 mt at the Germiston track

Thanks for the memories

The newmarket night racing commercial which used to air on TV...I was one of the cameramen .. I loved Newmarket. Fairest course in the land..bar maybe Clairwood.
Gr8 post Hoender...

ElvisisKing wrote: The late Billy Harvey rode Gondolier......... ami right guys, for trainer Pat Antelme... probably his ONLY graded winner ever....but I may be wrong here.

I think you are correct...

Pirhobeta wrote:

ElvisisKing wrote: The late Billy Harvey rode Gondolier......... ami right guys, for trainer Pat Antelme... probably his ONLY graded winner ever....but I may be wrong here.

I think you are correct...

Did he not ride any graded Juv winners for Nic Classen - or am I confused

mr hawaii wrote:

Pirhobeta wrote:

ElvisisKing wrote: The late Billy Harvey rode Gondolier......... ami right guys, for trainer Pat Antelme... probably his ONLY graded winner ever....but I may be wrong here.

I think you are correct...

Did he not ride any graded Juv winners for Nic Classen - or am I confused

forest king?

Good memories. Mine were at Arlington and Fairview and I started as a student

A lot good memories guys ......

Mine goes back to my school days ..... dad fell ill and was not able to work... mum was at home .. needed for the table and rent to be paid...... and all that schooling still needed to be done....
My first bet at Marshalls was Showboat and Show Trip .... 35/1... got it right .. went and bought my stuff for home...and every Friday like clock work paper in my and picked my horses by name...never knew how to read form (standard 7 then).....and I made my self a good few rands that paid the rent and got food for my family. The likes of Wolf Power, Turn Coat, Rain Forest was money horses.... I saw myself through school and tertiary education beckoned.....no money for F ALL...
Luckily got the bursary ....went to college ..... horse racing paid for my books and travelling..rent and food...medical care for my dad... I made my way to Greyville paying my ten cent bus fare and getting off in Umgeni Road and walking to the course. Reg Passmore and Brown Snr always had something to say if you asked...I was on course every Saturday when the visiting trainers raided from April to August and needless to say Millard Snr horses with Felix Coetzee and Mark Sutherland up put a lot of money in pocket..and I SURVIVED although taking a few knocks along the way and I graduated as an educator.
Sent to Cape Town on first appointment and after school ...destination Milnerton or Kenilworth. That's when I met my good friend Ali (I taught his sons)..and I always came away from the course with money in pocket and that man Puller was a rider. I got my information on race mornings at school and after school it was get into the care and drive .....I watched my first JnB Met and it was a sight to behold. That horse Bush Telegraph ran in then Durban July and Ali (he and Puller are the best friends till today) told me back it .... I told him I am scared of the Millard horse.. was told no race and I was also told Garth will make the weight. Nevertheless school closed and I was back in Durban. Told my dad about this horse and he told me go and back it if I was given the information. The entire June salary of R600 was put on Bush Telegraph....and I was screaming my lungs out when Bush Telegraph took the lead up the straight. My mum cried the day I came back with my loot. I still chat with Ali intermittently and Garth I still meet on the course.
I made my contacts around the course .... good information was forthcoming if you asked nicely... SAM (I think they called him the bag boys...when they punted it was all over)was the man on the course...and I often asked politely and was told which one was right for the day....Made my money and started building my own little circle of friends.
Clairwood was a happy hunting ground for me. Took the bus into town and taxi to Clairwood... and that too early hoping to see the indunas from the stables taking their bets and disappearing. Caught a few on their way and putting a few rands in their hands you got something for the day.
A bud of my mine bought a few horse and asked that I get involved for share. Went to Ashburton on Friday evening had a braai at the stables...went to Hillcrest met the jock ...the guys involved told him win the race and bonus is coming your way. Sitting in the Panaromique restaurant one cold Saturday.. Basil Marcus was aboard ..and ... my first winner and got drunk like hell and was sick as a dog the next few days.
Spanish Galliard ridden by Robbie Sham for Drier won the July. Remember standing in front of the bookies and asking for R1000 bets from each book makers (4 to be precise)and my friends reckon I was mad ... one of them is a steward now... and it won for me. That was a blinder kind of day for me.
I have made a few good killings along the way and also took a nasty bump with a contact that went sour....
Today I play on my own scale and play with good intentions...I still share my information... and I can say after 40 years in this game ...it has given me the KICK.
Greyville still sees me but the atmosphere has gone .....

What I meant to say was I doubt trainer Pat Antelme had any OTHER graded winners.

I understood the question...

Racing back in the day was absolutely awsome,where many a good horse won 4 or 5 races in a row going up in divisions and the punter could take advantage over that and the reason for that was the handicapping system.Most of the runners on course was there to win or run an honest race,then the game changer in South African racing happened,the CHANGE in the handicapping system and ever since racing has spiralled in a downward motion.There are many factors regarding this issue and as a punter you have to look at other factors besides form ie the intention of a trainer in the race (IF A HORSE IS RATED A 82 AND THE TRAINERS KNOWS THAT THE HORSE IS A 70, HE HAS TO DROP THE HORSE TO A RATING TO WHERE IT CAN WIN.THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN DO THAT IS TO RACE THE HORSE AND IN THE PROCESS THE HORSE LOSES ITS FORM AND CONFIDENCE.)Its sad to know that to get our horses to international ratings we messed up fair handicapping system which gave punters ,owners and trainers a good chance of winning.My favourite winning punts from the past where POLITICIAN AND PAS DE QUOI and a horse that many people will not remember but made me huge money was WESTERN TELEX.