Piere Strydom will now be free in his mind to retire having today achieved his final goal of riding 5,500 career winners.
However, he still has one or two engagements to fulfil before hanging up his riding boots.
He rides the Sean Tarry-trained Nebraas (Vercingetorix) in the Betway Summer Cup on Saturday, alongside one other ride.
He has also been booked to ride the Gareth van Zyl-trained Money Heist in the Grade 1 R2 million Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas and the Fanie Bronkhorst-trained Typeset in the R7.5 million Gold Rush.
His final meeting therefore might well be on WSB Met day and a farewell to the great jockey might add another festive dimension to that day.
The winner’s enclosure was buzzing with emotion after Piere’s win today.
Piere’s 5,500th winner was on the former Cape Town horse Admiralty Arch, who has become ultra consistent since dropping to a merit rating of 67 in his second career with the Barend Botes and Yolandie Vosloo yard.
He was the perfect horse for the milestone win, being the type of closer Piere has always excelled aboard.
The horse jumped well and Striker eased him back before placing him behind Irrevocable Dream on the outside train, which put him in about third last position in the nine horse field, but in a perfect position to strike.
He switched him out about halfway through the 1200m contest and crept up before pulling the trigger at the 400m mark.
Admiralty Arch lengthened and made up the leeway quickly to strike the front and it was clear by the 200m mark it was race over.
Rattle Bag made some late leeway from last but Admiralty Arch ran out a cosy one length winner.
Barend Botes revealed in the winner’s enclosure his first ever winner as a trainer on 27 July, 1995, was ridden by Piere.
He spoke of the honour he had felt at the time of having a top jockey aboard a horse he had received as a chuck out, and said he felt equally honoured today to have paid him back by providing him with the milestone victory.
Piere battled to hold back the tears of emotion when it was his turn to speak.
He said it had been quite tough to get good rides coming back from injury as a 56 year-old.
He was grateful to Barend, whom he called a thorough gentleman, and whom he said had always been looking to provide good rides for him during his quest to reach the milestone.
Barend had also specifically wanted to be the man to give him his 5,500th victory.
Piere was presented with a congratulatory placard and a bottle of champagne, which he took a sip of before Barend sprayed it over him and then poured the rest over his head.
The only pity was Piere’s wife Chrisna was absent. She had been following him around the country in the hopes of sharing the milestone moment with him but was unable to be there today.
