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AROUND THE GLOBE
S OUTH A F RICA
by Nicola Hayward
Coetzee bows out after four decades at When Felix Coetzee announced his retirement from race-riding in February, it signified the end of a long and illustrious career. Statistics show that over almost four decades Coetzee rode 3,508 winners, won 75 Group/Grade 1 races around the world and was South African champion jockey on three occasions. But the statistics tell only part of the story: they give no indication of what a wonderful ambassador Coetzee has been both for his profession and his country, and they certainly give no idea of the great gap that his leaving will mean to all those involved in racing. Born into a racing family in Durban in 1959, Coetzee won his first Graded race aged 16, aboard Kentford in the 1975 Grade 2 Clairwood Winter Handicap. In the early 1980s he went to work for champion trainer Terrance Millard. He says that it was there that he learnt the work ethic that has been
champion Silent Witness. They put together a 17-race winning streak before being narrowly beaten by Bullish Luck at Sha Tin in 2005. Silent Witness has retired to Living
“The statistics don’t
indicate what a great ambassador he has been for his profession and country� Legends in Victoria, Australia, where Coetzee has visited him. While in Hong Kong he also partnered, amongst others, Bullish Luck, Oriental
by Danny Power
It’s A Dundeel It’s A Dundeel will represent Australia at Royal Ascot
English trainers of sprinters may be able to rest a bit easier at Royal Ascot this year with the best Australian speedsters set to stay at home. The winners of Melbourne’s feature Group 1 autumn sprints, the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket Handicap, won’t be heading overseas, which is against the trend of the last ten years. Exciting three-year-old colt Zoustar, dominant against his own age but yet to prove himself against older sprinters, has a trip to England on the agenda, though he finished lame in the Canterbury Stakes last time out. A trip to Britain will depend on how he competes during the Sydney carnival when he takes on the best of the seasoned sprinters, including Irish star Gordon Lord Byron. Brilliant mare Snitzerland, part-owned by Neil Werrett, who is the main owner of Black Caviar, won the Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February, but Werrett and trainer Gerald Ryan have no plans to campaign her outside Australia. The same can be said for THOROUGHBRED OWNER & BREEDER INC PACEMAKER
BRONWEN HEALY
AUS TRA L IA
his hallmark ever since. While with Millard he won the Durban July three times: in 1984 aboard Devon Air, a mare imported from England as a five-year-old maiden by the Scott Brothers, and again in 1988 and 1990. He won five editions of the J&B Metropolitan Stakes and also partnered the remarkable filly Sunera. Imported from England, the filly won 11 of 13 starts in South Africa before being retired after winning the 1986 Grade 1 Natal Flying Championships. She died of colic soon afterwards. Coetzee recalls how she would duck left once she hit the front so he learnt to produce her late – such was her turn of foot that he knew there was always enough to win. But it was in Hong Kong that Coetzee reached his zenith. He moved there in 1992. His first seven years were lean by his high standards but then in 1999 he teamed up with trainer Tony Cruz. It was with Cruz that he partnered the three-time world sprint