Magiclips do you remember trainer Vinko Kombol ?

Hi Matthew, I'm just asking if you, or Nick K remember an old trainer from Zim - Bulawayo the one & only VINKO KOMBOL - basically he was an owner / trainer mainly.

I'm just letting you know that he passed away yesterday in LONDON after a long illness, and believe it or not he reached the ripe old age of 96 yrs. ( Scotia most of us won't get near that age )

He was most famous for winning the CASTLE TANKARD in SALISBURY in the 70's ( that was a race in those days ) with a no hoper from Bulawayo - the horse was IRISH HARP. He won at 66/1 & was at the bottom of the betting boards. The bookies sure cleaned up that day. I think he beat the hot pot favourite NUMERATOR ( riden by Jimmy Anderson I think ? trained by Neill Bruss or Roy Magner ? )

Magic perhaps you can clarify.

He also brought one of his better horses to joburg - NO RESPITE ( the local commentators loved to call this horse NO RESPITT - which used to piss Vinko off.
He won the U.T.A. handicap with this horse - I think it was a graded race & I think then trained by J.Van Eck - I stand to be corrected.

Vinko trained with some top trainers, a lot of who are in S.Africa today - namely : Neill Bruss, Roy Magner, Charlie Bawden, Colin Lee, George Uren, Vicky Moore, Ivan Moore - his stable jockeys at one time were Ivan Moore & Robert Moore - father & appie Robert raced in many a race together. ( Don't know who told who to win - dad or son )

Vinko you were truly one of a kind & you certainly called a spade a spade, you were'nt scared to have your say.

May you R.I.P. Barry

Oh boy, Barry, you bring back memories. The first Castle Tankard I ever went to was the one Irish Harp won in 1973, ridden by Antonio Araujo. You could have heard a pin drop, the substantial crowd was so stunned into silence. I have to confess that I kind of assumed Vinko had passed away many years ago.

Anyone got a picture? nice post Elvis


R.I.P

I also remember No Respite and the regular butchering of his name, but I'd completely forgotten that he won the UTA Stakes in Jozi. Elvis, we could have a nice long session reminiscing about those days!

VINKO KOMBOL passed away peacefully on 17th February 2010 at the home of Marianne and Brendan, in England.Father of Mark (late) and Marianne Munro, step father of Leila HuntGrandfather of Danielle, Trevlyn, Leanne and Lauren; beloved Nonnoto Matthew and Tuscan.Your long and winding road on this earth is finally at an end but weshall look up to the sky and see you there!Rest in peace my "dad", you will be missed. Leila
+++++++PATERSON, SYDNEY Remembered with respect and appreciation. Sincere sympathy to Mrs Paterson and all the family. Trevor Spencer, Scotland

Magic, it would be nice to have a chat to you about the racing days of old, but I think you live in Durbs while I am in Joburg.

Magic - who was the runner up ? I'm sure Jimmy Anderson was on top.

I forgot to mention that Ronnie Sheehan of CPT was also one of the old Rhodie trainers that Vinko used to compete with.

Because Vinko was my uncle, it was probably through him & my step father ( Gerry Stroebel, his brother Piet Stroebel former Rhodesian champion jock - with 13 wins on the trott - see Guiness book of records ) that I got hooked on racing in my teens.

Here I am, about 40 years later & I'm still feeding & punting ( small ) horses.

Elvis, I think it was Numerator who ran 2nd under Jimmy Anderson. The first race meeting I ever went to was the Castle Classic (?) in 1972. That was Bulawayo's biggest race of the year and Ronnie Sheehan trained the winner Fleeting Gold, ridden by Vicky Moore. My journey in racing had begun. A pity that course was closed but I guess Zim barely supports one venue these days.

If I may add, if he was a call a spade a spade type of guy then I would have loved to have known him. My kind of bloke! Condolences, Elvis, I didn't realize you were related.