He said, “The medial malleolus was smashed (in an incident during trackwork in late September 2020) and I have had three operations. They have tried stem cell transfer, bone grafts and have bashed it out with all other doctors but there is no union of the bone and the pin is still there.”

 

MJ has put the ankle through excercise stress but after a half-an-hour or so of pressure the pain becomes too intense for him to continue.

 

He fortunately was given good insurance coverage on the advice of Eric Fordred and others but he added, “For a forty-year-old how much cover is enough.”

 

He expressed a desire to stay in the industry and said, “I have done some presenting, mainly jockey interviewing, on big racedays and maybe that role can be extended.’

 

He grew up on a farm near Warmbaths and said, “My Father and I have a small business buying and selling sheep but I am going to have to establish myself in something permanent soon and it is quite scary.”

 

He said he found it particularly tough on big race-days.

 

“I have to thank the horse and the sport for where I got in life. I don’t know where I would have been without it. The adrenalin rush when crossing the line first in the the Met and the July was unbelievable. It didn’t feel like it was real. A small farm-boy on the world stage … it was surreal. I thrived on big races. I used to love it. I am going to miss that the most.”

 

He named winning the Met on One World (Captain Al) as his career highlight and elaborated, “My parents were on course and I owed it to them for my upbringing in which they drilled hard work and honesty into me.”

 

In fact both of his Dads were present, his Afrikaans Dad and his “English Dad”, trainer Vaughan Marshall.

 

He said, “To win it for Vaughan was a great feeling. I sometimes feel like I am dropping people in the industry like Vaughan not being able to ride anymore but they understand. I was with him for twelve years so we are also good friends and I can talk to him about anything. I get up very early, at about 5 a.m. and on Mondays often go around to his yard to see how I can help out. I just enjoy being involved … we are like family.”

 

His worst moment in racing, it goes without saying, was having the Durban July taken away from him in the boardroom after his Weiho Marwing-trained mount Wylie Hall (Redoute’s Choice) had crossed the line first and he was not alone in thinking the upheld objection was a “terrible decision.”

 

He said, “Legislate bumped us first and there was no ways he was ever going to get past Wylie Hall even if the race had gone another 200m.”

 

“But it is what it is,” he sighed.

 

However, he felt the best horse he ever rode might well have been the Marshall-trained William Longsword (Captain Al), who was retired to stud after winning the Grade 1 Cape Guineas.

 

He said, “He had a turn of foot like no other.”

 

MJ’s riding style was initially influenced by Johnny Geroudis, because he did kit for him when he was an apprentice.

 

He also revered Peire Strydom for his “balance, coolness and excellent judge of pace.”

In latter years he admired Anton Marcus for the “positive” way he rode his races and it inspired him to “be a length closer rather than a length further back.”

 

It all started for MJ when his father, who ran a maize and cattle farm, was advised by two cattle traders who had an interest in racing, Dougie Rens and Aubrey Upton, that MJ should apply to the SA Jockeys Academy.

 

He recalled being absolutely “terrified” when first sitting on a horse.

He added, “But I was young and just cracked on.”

 

His first winner was What A Promise (Severini) on July 14 1999 for Alistair Gordon.

 

In his early years he rode for Gordon, Mark Dixon and Oom Nic Claassen in PE.

 

He was then offered a job by Glen Kotzen and moved to the Western Cape.

 

“My career went higher with Glen and then I got a position with Dean Kannemeyer and then Vaughan Marshall. I was also riding for Alan Greeff, Nic Claassen and Martin Cohen in PE. In the end I rode for Duncan McKenzie and Juan Nel in PE too. Support from the small yards always made a difference.”

 

MJ’s biggest fans besides his parents were Hollywoodbets Greyville’s Box 3A, a crowd of passionate young racegoers who did a lot to promote racing to Durban’s youth.

 

He appreciated the rousing applause he received from their box every time he cantered down to the start at Greyville and the massive cheers he was showered with upon winning a race.

 

One incident fans will always remember about MJ was when he revealed he was wearing a pair of Faf de Klerk South African-style underpants during his Met winning ride.

 

He recalled being supremely confident that day and on the way to the course he had told his Box 3A friend James Everett, “I am going to win the Met today.”

 

So it was fitting he was able to celebrate the win Faf style because he is also well known for his love of rugby and for being an ardent fan of the Blue Bulls.

 

He said no amount of time living in Cape Town would ever change his allegiance.

He reserved a last word for his good friend Bernard Fayd’herbe and for his sponsors Avontuur Stud.

 

He said, “Bernard convinced me to make the move to Cape Town, I must thank him for that.”

 

He concluded, “It was a privilege being associated with Avontuur who run their stud and wine farm in such a highly professional way.”