Greg Bortz Responds

Mr Bortz has effectively gelded South Boytjie.

Over the Air wrote:

I'm going against the flow here. Bortz comes across as a full-blown narcissist. He just cannot resist telling people at every occasion what he has done and how much money he has spent.
There are cheaper ways to be the FIGJAM king

.....I dont believe that Mr Bortz has a total zik to his tom and he can do whatever he wants to with it.....I find it distasteful even talking about it.... and many are waiting for a shoe to drop and a similar implosion that befell Jooste, Van Vuuren.....:sick:

Would venture to say that I have no idea of the man's nett worth but did come across an online article of his share value in a single USA Biotech entity back in 2019 which ballooned exponentially in the height of the Covid pandemic.
I can safely estimate what he puts into the game locally..... is bread crumbs....:dry: \

MEPHENTERMINE.....wow where the hell do some okes get the assistance to shoot this SHIT.....:ohmy:

.....in a nutshell ....this substance stimulates adrenalin also makes the blood vessels dilate and the heart pump faster....like strapping a turbo on an aspirated engine.....must have run like a cheetah.....:S

TNaicker wrote:

When an attempt is made to tarnish the credibility of the messenger, you know the messenger is right over the target...

Too early to shoot the messenger

Over the Air wrote:

I'm going against the flow here. Bortz comes across as a full-blown narcissist. He just cannot resist telling people at every occasion what he has done and how much money he has spent.

There are cheaper ways to be the FIGJAM king

wrong interpretation - a narcissist takes advantage of other people to get what they want and they definitely NEVER give credit to other people

Just incase you guys missed or ignored Dino’s post on the Sport Post

Hi Mr Bortz
I have perused your unfortunately misinformed reply and feel the urge to rebut such in order to benefit yourself, as well as the racing public at large. I do not intend on replying to your “allegations” line-by-line. What I do think needs to be addressed is the misinformation that you published, as well as the misinformation that has been provided to you whether intentional or not. I think it is in the best interest of all horse racing fanatics and lovers out there to know the truth. Clearly, I connected the dots that you so naively asked the public to and it was evident that there was only one trainer that you were referring to.
These are the facts:
1) The test which you refer to were out of competition tests. Thus, all of the “so called prohibited” substances were in fact permitted substances within the rules of the NHA on the day that the tests were done. This unfortunately is a crucial fact not clarified by the NHA.
2) The NHA, unfortunately, chose to use the word “prohibited”, thereby creating the perception that there was an element of subterfuge and “doping” involved. The NHA have never made any effort to clarify this to anybody, yourself and the press included.
3) It can be concluded that, the only charge against Mr Peter is that his vet failed to record one of the “permitted” substances in the Vet Treatment Register. There is no charge or even an allegation of any other accusation.
4) The vet concerned is adamant that the “alleged”, unrecorded (AND AGAIN – PERMITTED), substance was not administered and there was nothing to record.
5) Nothing else untoward was involved and Mr Peter’s yard was also given a clean bill of health. That would explain why Lucky also had no issue even though the identical substances were administered to your horses. I am sure that Mr Peter would be happy to make his Vet Treatment Register public.
Mr Bortz, respectively, I believe your good intentions, money and unfortune naivety in the racing game has been taken advantage of. Your valuable attention has been deflected from the real problem whether intentionally or not, I cannot say.
I can assure you that “doping” is not the number one problem in South Africa’s horse racing.
I assure you, my anonymity is far from cowardice, if you require a line-by-line response to your ‘misinformed reply’ feel free to respond.
I urge you to look deeper into this matter and separate facts from fiction.
I look forward to your response.

“Greg Bortz” reply on the Sporting Post

Hi Dino

Thank you for your message. I must admit to being a little confused. I have not seen the name "Dino Lopes" before. Am I to assume that you are the author of the message on ABC ("South Boytjie")? It appears you are, as you are referencing my responses to that post.

I greatly appreciate the additional detail and comment in your message. I will most definitely respond. However, I have an absolutely crazy day, and probably won't be able to respond until this evening. So please don't take my silence for the next 8+ hours as unwillingness to engage. As I am sure you have seen, I try to engage with EVERYONE, and I promise I will get back to you later.

That said, I am also happy to chat on the phone this evening. I know the racing public is engaged and appreciates the open forum, but I always believe in-person conversations or meetings are more productive than social media or electronic exchanges. That said, I also respect your right to anonymity, and if you prefer to engage on this platform, no problem. Regardless, I am offline for the next 8 hours or so.

All the

It is interesting to watch the unsolicited defense misdirected at someone who simply wants racing to clean up its act. Or is it a misdirected defense that was unsolicited?

I have always said that the problem with Cape Racing is the amount of punters and the small group of trainers that do not race their horses enough. I was not a fan of Hollywood sponsoring race courses and being a bookmaker. How far we have come from those opinions in such a short period of time.

There was a time when I too tried to, "make the game better", by getting involved. I soon exited when the Chairperson of GC said that the GC management team were able to handle their conflict of interest very well.

Why is it when anyone tries to encourage change for the better, in my opinion, is there such resistance???

Greg Bortz has been the most transparent person with the least conflict of interest involved in SA Racing that I have come across in the last 23 years of owning horses.

Has everyone forgotten the, "fly in" meeting, when Cape Racing was told that there was no strategy and that they must sink or swim. That was once 4Racing had signed the TV rights. When Stephen Watson was asked about the TV rights he said Cape Racings old media bus was still in the parking lot if they wanted to roll it out. Charles Savage ignored Robert Bloomberg's written questions and told him there would be no reply. The comment from 4Racing at the time regarding the possibility of one operator, they replied, it is not possible but competition is good. Was this transparency or arrogance?

When Hollywood and Greg Bortz came to the financial rescue of Cape Racing at the eleventh hour, does anyone in their right mind believe that there was an unseen financial benefit for either of them?, who protested it?

Let me not digress from the stone in the shoe, the NHA clamping down on doping. Not Greg Bortz, the NHA. Why the unsolicited, aggressive defense if there is nothing to hide?

I do not hold the NHA in high regard personally and SA Horse Racing is in trouble if the NHA is not restructured and does not clean up its own act. There can be no transparency or consistency if the NHA do not involve the SAPS Drug Unit, SAHPRA and SAVC and have a clear set of Operating Procedures that are followed.

The question not being asked is; If a horse tests positive for a substance that is not in the VTR and that substance is a schedule 5 drug according to SAHPRA then there should be a criminal case to answer. The NHA is a regulatory body and cannot enforce the law. I have long wondered why this does not happen and maybe something for the operators to question. Is it better to fine and receive payment rather than report a possible criminal case and receive nothing?

I have the utmost respect for what Greg Bortz and Hollywood have done. My view on Hollywood being a bookmaker and sponsoring race courses became irrelevant ages ago. In fact I have purchased two race horses on recent sales because of what the above parties are doing in horse racing.

All disclaimers apply and for the record I have not met either Greg, Owen or Dev but wish them well.