Due to the popularity of horse racing in South Africa, the country is home to many world-class jockeys. Furthermore, horse racing fans can also find some of the best purebred horses, many of which have impressive stats.
Most people who follow the horse racing scene in the country will probably know a thing or two about the jockeys and horses mentioned here. Others, however, will be curious to learn more, so it’s time to reveal all of them. Let’s see some of South Africa’s best jockeys and horses.
Jockeys
A jockey is used for a person who rides horses in horse racing. There are many different jockeys worldwide, but what’s similar between them is their light weight. These people also have to be fit because being a jockey is very demanding and also dangerous.
With that out of the way, here are the top 5 South African jockeys you need to be aware of.
Craig Zackey
Born in 1995 in Gauteng, Craig Zackey is one of South Africa’s most famous and renowned jockeys. After joining the South African Jockey Academy in 2011, he slowly became one of the best jockeys in the country. As of early 2025, Craig Zackey has 1174 wins, 2392 places, and 11,599 starts. Interestingly, Zackey’s first run was on March 18, 2012. His first-ever win came a few months later, on August 12, 2012.
Gavin Lerena
The second South African jockey that we want to include on the list is Gavin Lerena. With a total of 2465 wins, 3997 places, and 15,959 starts, he is one of the country’s most experienced jockeys. Lerena’s first run took place on August 2, 2003, and his first win came just a few days later on August 19, 2003.
In terms of his personal life, Gavin Lerena was born on July 2, 1985.
Richard Fourie
The next name on the list of top-tier jockeys in South Africa goes to Richard Fourie. Born on November 25, 1985, the jockey from Carletonville has achieved a total of 2518 wins. He also has 3777 places and 15,300 starts. The jockey’s first race was on August 5, 2003, whereas his first win came on August 19, 2003.
Muzi Yeni
Muzi Yen is another big name in the horse racing industry. Born on December 6, 1986, the jockey has many Nuermous Grade 1 race victories. At the time of writing, he has 2410 wins, 4965 places, and 22,877 starts. It’s safe to say that he is one of the living legends of this sport.
Sean Veale
The 38-year-old jockey from South Africa is a very popular name in the country and has many fans from many parts of the world. Veale’s current stats include 933 wins, 2021 places, and 10,471 starts. His first race was on August 2, 2003, and his first win was just 8 days later (August 10, 2003).
Horses
The famous South African thoroughbreds are often regarded as some of the best horses in the world. In fact, some horses, such as Hawaii, have become legends and won many races in the US. With that said, let’s look at some of the best horses in the country and learn more about them.
Radicchio
Born in 2019, Radicchio is a horse owned by Mr L M Nestadt. If you take a look at its performance, you can see that Radichhio achieved impressive results. In late 2024, for example, the horse finished first at the Vaal (SAF) with Marco V’Rensburg as the jockey.Holding Thumbs
The second thoroughbred horse that we want to address is Holding Thumbs. The South African horse was born in 2020, and Glen Kotzen is responsible for training it. As of now, the horse has 5 wins and 2 placings out of 15 starts.Kabon Kapi
Up next on the list is Kabon Kapi, a thoroughbred horse that was also born in South Africa. This horse is 5 years old and currently has 6 wins, 6 placings and 28 starts. Mr J A Meyer and Ms Leizel Muller are Kabon Kapi’s owners, whereas Z Oosthuizen is his trainer.Masterbling
Trained by Gareth Puller, Masterbling is an interesting 5-year-old gelding horse that has won close to $24K so far. Born in 2019, the horse has 5 wins, 3 placings, and 20 starts.My Best Shot
The last South African horse that we want to include where is called “My Best Shot”. The thoroughbred horse was born in 2021 and has really impressive stats. Thanks to its trainer Alan Greff, the horse secured 6 wins and 3 placings and has a total of 12 starts.Conclusion
There are tons of other promising horses and jockeys in South Africa that could have been on the list, but we wanted to share some of the more popular ones. Horse racing is becoming more popular every year, so there will be even more names in the future.
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