S’Manga Khumalo rode the winner of the first Durban July sponsored by Hollywoodbets, the Mike de Kock-trained Sparkling Water who won by three lengths in 2022, and he will be going for a third July win this year. (Candiese Lenferna Photography).
S’Manga Khumalo will be hoping for a third win in South Africa’s most iconic horse race, the Hollywoodbets Durban July, and he and his astute jockey agent Monty Mariemuthoo did not take long to pounce on a horse who is largely being ignored, but at closer inspection has a chance and that is the Glen Kotzen-trained On My Honour.
Read article one in today’s newletter about On My Honour’s credentials.
Khumalo and the Hollywoodbets Durban July go hand-in-hand as it was the race that finally put this rare talent on the map.
He had always had the talent and just needed a breakthrough.
No matter how good you are, you can not be a top jockey without support, because you need good rides.
The 2012/2013 season was to be a life-changer for S’Manga.
He won Johannesburg’s biggest race, the Gr 1 R2 million Sansui Summer Cup, aboard the Joe Soma-trained 16/1 shot Wagner in December 2012.
He then followed it by winning the R2 million President’s Champions Challenge, on the Sean Tarry-trained 40/1 outsider Heavy Metal in April 2013.
Ten weeks later he partnered Heavy Metal to a historic Durban July victory.
S’Manga dedicated the July win to his icon, Nelson Mandela, and also to his “pillar of strength”, his mother.
He has never looked back.
Two weeks after the July, Khumalo rode the first five legs of the Pick 6 at Turffontein, including the Jackpot.
That was probably the day the public changed their perception of Khumalo. He not only had the big match temperament to ride a July winner, but also the ability and the hunger, like an Anton Marcus, to boot home winner after winner when given the opportunities. Those are the ones the public adore.
He finished the season on 73 winners.
He was now receiving more support from Tarry and other top trainers.
A four-timer at Turffontein on August 8 of the new season was followed by a five-timer at Flamingo Park on August 12.
He kept up a punishing schedule, riding in Johannesburg, KZN, Port Elizabeth and Kimberley and ended the 2013/2014 season National Champion Jockey with 185 winners, 42 clear of his nearest rival.
There were some hiccups between then and his second championship win in the 2015/2016 season.
However, he has been a sought after jockey since that first July win.
He had to wait nine years for a second victory in the big race and it will always be significant that the first ever Durban July sponsored by Hollywodbets, which came together with a whopping R5 million in stakes, was won by Khumalo.
His first July win was aboard a Silvano gelding and his second was aboard a Silvano filly, the Mike de Kock-trained Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein-bred Sparkling Water.
The filly was given one of the all time great July rides.
Khumalo, in a move that took everybody by surprise, pinged the gates from draw 12 and made a beeline for the inside rail, which he reached before the first turn at the Drill Hall.
He then sat and took a tow from pacemakers Asterix and Puerto Manzano, before getting a perfect split between that pair at the top of the straight and charging to a three length victory from the top class Jet Dark, who ended his career with five Gr 1 wins and is now a sort after sire.
The win gave the deserving Mary Slack a first July victory as an owner. Sparkling Water ran in the familiar black with a scarlet cap colours that are registered thee days to her stud farm Wilgerosdrift Stud.
On My Honour, like Heavy Metal and Sparkling Water, is also by a multiple champion sire.
The Gimmethegreenlight gelding is out of and Irish-bred dam who is by Epsom Derby winner High Chaparral and she herself had only four starts and placed three times from a mile to a-mile-and-a-half, so On My Honour should stay the trip.
