Keagan de Melo after winning on promising Rafeef colt Impose, but the ride is the subject of an inquiry (Picture: Wayne Marks)
National jockeys log leader Keagan de Melo, who has won the championship once before, has a relatively clean record if one considers he has had 327 rides this season.
However, such is the difficulty of his profession that he has landed a seven day suspension for a ride on 4 October and it would not be surprising if he lands another suspension for a ride on 1 November.
He is currently 17 wins ahead of the chasing pack led by Craig Zackey.
Richard Fourie, Kabelo Matsunyane and Muzi Yeni are also in contention being 18, 20 and 23 wins behind respectively.
The suspension will help them close the gap and if he does land another suspension, the championship could become a very intriguing and close fought battle.
Of course this season there is an added incentive to win the championship because The Lucky Fish Jockey Championship mirrors it and carries prize money of R2 million, with R1 million going to the winner.
The first ride in question, which landed De Melo his seven day suspension, is explained in the Inquiry below:
The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa confirms that, at an Inquiry held in Cape Town on Sunday, 1 November 2026, Jockey K de Melo was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.7.
The particulars of the charge were that, as the rider of DEMANDING DAVE, he failed to ensure that he did not cause interference to PINK PIGEON at the 200m and was a source of interference to OLIVER and PINK PIGEON between the 200m and the 100m when he shifted inwards in Race 5 at Hollywoodbets Durbanville Racecourse on 4 October 2026.
Jockey K de Melo pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of the charge.
Having considered the aggravating and mitigating factors presented, as well as Jockey K de Melo’s record regarding contraventions of this Rule, the Inquiry Board imposed a suspension from riding in races for a period of seven (7) days.
Jockey K de Melo has the right of appeal against both the finding and penalty imposed.
VEE MOODLEY
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The second ride in question, which is the subject of an inquiry, was a similar incident when he was aboard the 33/1 first-timer Impose in the second race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on November 1.
His mount hung inward and bumped his 83/100 stablemate Running Shoes, causing the latter to have to be snatched up.
Running Shoes did manage to regather himself and finish second, but he could well have won the race but for the interference as he was running on strongly from behind.
Keagan pled not guilty in the Demanding Dave case, but was found guilty.
The same might happen in the Impose case, because after all the horse was having his first run and was green. However, it would be no surprise to see him found guilty again.
Click here to see the Demanding Dave ride
Click here to see the Impose ride
It is not clear whether De Melo has appealed his seven day suspension or not.
South African racing is of course infamous for jockeys going through all of the legal channels available in order to postpone a suspension for as long as possible, but this one is probably too early in the season to consider that route.
