Connor Randolph has been going to track for about a week at Summerveld having joined the South African Jockey Academy in January (Picture Supplied)
Connor Randolph started his apprenticeship at the South African Jockey Academy (SAJA) in January and will be bidding to follow in he footsteps of his July-winning jockey father Stuart Randolph.
He used to watch his father riding and attended the July a few times with him, although when Stuart won it in 2015 on the Dean Kannemeyer-trained Power King he was only roundabout five or six years old and was not on the racecourse.
He revealed, “When I was in Grade 8 my Dad introduced the jockey Academy idea and from then onward I started watching racing and going to racing with him and I started developing a passion for riding.”
Stuart is already having an influence on Connor’s riding style.
Connor said, “He has influenced my style quite heavily. He comes down to the Academy quite often and teaches me all these nicks and tricks I can use on horses while I am on the equicizer.”
Last week was a milestone week for Connor and some of his other SAJA contemporaries as they went “to track”” for the first time.
This is when they make themselves available to trainers at Summerveld to ride work.
The first years appearing at track wear white caps and in the common language of the Summerveld fraternity, “A white cap means danger!”
The trainers try and give them as easy rides as possible, although some trainers avoid using “white caps”, so it is not an easy time for the youngsters.
Connor has had about 16 training rides so far and all of them have provided him with enjoyable experiences except for one horse who gave him “a bit of a rough time.”
Connor explained, “If the trainer is used to you he will probably put you on a nice horse, but if the trainer does not know you too well he will put you on a quiet, relaxed horse who doesn’t pull much.
Connor explained what he was taught at SAJA before attending track, “We were taught how to hold the horse, how to keep the horse calm and relaxed and just a few tricks. We ride around the ring and there is a small track there that we use and also the equicizer to practice on.”
Connor’s first goal is to start race-riding in about April next year.
He will have a hard act to follow as Stuart was an exceptionally successful apprentice and finished his time in January 1991 with 110 winners and the plaudit of a July ride aboard Sand in 1990 while still an apprentice.
Connor’s ultimate aim is to be a Champion Jockey and once again he will have a hard act to follow.
Stuart amassed close to 1800 career wins and a very respectable number of Gr1 wins. He also rode the winner of Zimbabwe’s biggest race, the Castle Tankard on Circle of Life, and also had winners in Mauritius, Dubai, Macau and France. He was Champion Jockey in Mauritius. He listed the legendary Jet Master (1998 Cape Guineas) as one of the best horses he rode. He also partnered horses like This England (1992 Administrators’ Stakes), Eldoriza (1996 Nissan Challenge) and Arabian Lass (1997 Style Fillies Challenge). He also won what used to be KZN’s, if not the country’s, second most prestigious race, the Gold Cup, on Cereus in 2001.
Connor certainly has the right genes for jockeyship and those who remember the skills of his father will be following his career with particular interest.
