Picture: Nathan Pillay (left) with friends and family at Summerveld
Owner Nathan Pillay’s first horse was the decent four-time winning 99-rated Admire Me, a Clifton Stud-bred Capetown Noir filly who was purchased for just R20,000 at the KZN Yearling Sale of 2019 by Garth Puller.
After that early ownership success, Nathan now views owning shares in horses as a great stress reliever away from the demands of business.
Puller was the sole owner for Admire Me’s first three runs, all in the maidens.
Nathan was then invited to take a share and the filly ran a close fourth first time out for him.
She then reeled off three wins in a row, before being rested and coming back to run third next time out off a 93 rating.
Nathan explained, “I was good friends with Dennis Bosch and later met Garth Puller and we also became good friends. Thereafter he asked me if I would like to start owning horses from his yard and I said yes. He suggested I should start with just a small share and that’s what I did and today I am very, very happy to be with Mr Garth Puller. I had been a small time punter, but my involvement in horseracing is really all about the passion I have for horses. Mr Puller is a real sportsman, someone you can trust and I really enjoy owning in his yard. We have had about eight to ten wins so far. My first share was in Admire Me and she won three times in the space of a couple of months. There are owners who can go two years without a win, so I was lucky to have achieved this.”
Nathan’s first run with Admire Me was on 20 September 2020 and by December 11 of that year she had already won three races for him. She then had a rest until May and finished third in her comeback run. She was then sold out of the yard and went on to win one more race in Johannesburg.
The bug had bitten and Nathan said, “I now have shares in about eight horses. So far I have had four winners and they have won about eight to ten races between them.”
Nathan was at Summerveld on Wednesday to hear about the horses Garth had bought at the BSA August Two-year-old Sale and he was possibly going to select one or two to buy shares in.
Garth picked up two horses at the Sale according to the BSA price list, a Camargue Stud-bred Declarationofpeace filly out of a one time-winning Spectrum mare who is a half-sister to July winner and decent sire Pomodoro, and a Riethuiskraal Stud-bred Master Archie colt, who is out of a four time-winning Imperial Stride mare. The third dam of the latter colt is the decent six-time winning Elliodor mare Kokkewiet.
Nathan said the pair Garth had bought were the right sort of price for him, so it will be interesting to find out whether he had left Summerveld with another couple of shares.
Nathan said about the current stallions in South Africa, “Obviously I would love to own a Vercingetorix! But of the more affordable ones I like Hawwaam.”
Nathan would recommend owning horses and said, “I wish people could get into this sport. It is very exciting, but before you come into this sport make sure you have the passion for horses and don’t think you are going to win every time. Obviously we do all like to win though.”
Asked on what he liked best about horseracing, Nathan said, “It is a stress reliever. And you also meet a lot of good people. The people in racing are very friendly.”
Nathan does not have much free time owing to his businesses and said he visited Summerveld about twice a month.
However, he never misses his horses running whether the races are at Hollywodbets Greyville or Hollywoodbets Scottsville.
He said, “It is a nice day with Mr Puller. I enjoy his company and he always teaches you a lot about horses and horseracing. He is also a very honest person, so you can put your money down for him to train and care for the horses and can always trust him.”
At Hollywoodbets Greyville Nathan usually spends the day in the Saddler’s Arms or in the box of his friend Mr Quintus.
Nathan has applied for a box himself and hopes he will be able to get one this season.
His friends and family were enjoying their day at Summerveld, as it is difficult not to be relaxed when surrounded by horses, and watching the racing from a box would likely appeal to them too.
