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Champion jockey Piere Strydom reached a notable milestone riding the 4700th winner of his career at Turffontein on February 16.
Photo by HKJC
The 46-year-old Strydom has been South Africa's champion jockey five times and may make it six this season, currently leading the national jockey log by 20 wins from last season’s champion Anton Marcus.
Strydom was champion jockey five times between 1990 to 1998 and is one of only two South African jockeys to have surpassed the 4000 winners mark.
He has ridden some of South Africa's great horses including Jet Master, JJ The Jet Plane and Goldmark and has won practically every major race in the country.
They include the Durban July three times on London News in 1996, Trademark five years later and last year when he rode Pomodoro.
Strydom won the J & B Met on Angus in 2003 and gained his biggest win outside South Africa on J J The Jet Plane in the Hong Kong Sprint.
Meanwhile French star Maxime Guyon’s is eager to taste more of South African racing after his recent short visit to Port Elizabeth, Durban and Cape Town.
The 23-year-old Guyon notched wins at each of the three racecourses he rode at and is already thirsting for a return to South Africa.
Andre Fabre’s stable jockey hit the ground running landing five winners and 11 placings from 31 rides over four meetings at Fairview, Clairwood and Kenilworth.
Guyon said: “Phumelela was very kind to me, as were the many people I met both inside and outside racing.
"I shall try my best to return. It would be a big, big pleasure to go back to South Africa if I’m invited."
Guyon's visit was aimed at increasing French interest in South African racing as the French PMU has expanded its coverage by taking the first four races from South Africa on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays during the European winter as well as selected major races on Saturdays throughout the year.
