Picture: George “Titch” Lariviere wins the July on Gifted in 1929.
The name Lariviere is not well known in South African horseracing circle’s today, but was at one stage synonomous with the game and was in fact synonomous with the country’s biggest race, which is today known as the Hollywoodbets Durban July.
Dennis Lariviere, an octogenarian from Howick, is determined to attend the July of 2029 together with other members of his family in recognition of the 100th anniversary of his father George “Titch” Lariviere riding the Durban July Handicap winner, the W Jackson-trained British-bred Gifted, in 1929.
Dennis Lariviere’s memorabilia includes this framed picture of his father winning the 1929 July.
In 1933 George’s brother Ernest “Tinkie” Lariviere won the Durban July Handicap aboard the PC Henwood-trained Legacy.
The day three members of one family made the frame in the July with Ernest Lariviere winning on Legacy, George Wilkins on third-placed Fateh Singh and George Lariviere, brother of Ernest and brother-in-law of George Wilkins, on fourth-placed Reel II.
Dennis revealed that his father was champion jockey at some stage during his career.
He said in those days he believed there was only one meeting per week and it was on a Saturday, so jockeys only traveled to the other centres when there was a major race. Nevertheless, Geore Lariviere also won the Durban Gold Cup in 1930 on Artist Glow, beating the 1928 Durban July winner Glen Albyn, he won the Met in 1932 on a French-bred called Reel II and he finished second in the Johannesburg Summer Handicap of 1927 on Silver King.
George Lariviere’s Met and Gold Cup winners, Reel II and Artist Glow respectively.
George Lariviere thus only just failed to do a career grand slam of South Africa’s four biggest races (the Gold Cup was probably second only to the July in prestige for decades, despite it’s Gr 3 status today).
He was a much sought after jockey and also finished a narrow second in the 1935 July on the favourite Monsieur Jean, who was denied by a neck by a fast-finishing Eccentric.
George Lariviere rode until 1939, which was the year the war broke out, but his retirement was due to increasing difficulty in keeping his weight down.
He took up training, but later, due to his outstanding horsemanship, was appointed assistant starter of the Durban Turf Club.
He passed away in 1951 at the young age of 40.
Dennis still has the newspaper cutting of the tribute to his father, in which he was called the “Prince Of Jockeys.”
Dennis inherited the gold-plated miniature of the Gold Cup his father won in 1930, although today it resides with his younger son in Australia.
“Tinkie” Lariviere became a trainer, while Dennis’s aunt, his mother’s sister, married a jockey called George Wilkens, who won the Gold Cup in 1931 on the British-bred Le Vin Chaud. His miniature Gold Cup also resides with his younger son in Australia.
Three family members made the frame in the 1933 July, with Ernest Lariviere on the winner Legacy, George Wilkins on third-placed Fateh Singh and George Lariviere on fourth-placed Reel II.
George Lariviere’s July winner Gifted probably holds a July record. He was only taken off the boat on January 20, 1929, and the July was his first race in South Africa. He thus shattered all preconceived ideas of how long it takes an English horse to acclimatise and he is also likely the horse in the race’s history who has returned from the longest layoff to win it.
Dennis has rubbed shoulders with many a July winner in his time.
He was at school at St. Agnes with Aubrey Roberts, who rode the 1962 July winner, Diza. Also in that same St. Agnes class was Noel Gleeson, who married John Gorton, who won the July in 1967 on Jollify in the famous dead-heat with the immortal Sea Cottage. And a further member of the class was Cynthia Payne, whose famous brother David Payne is one of only three people in history to both ride and train a July winner, riding 1968 winner Chimboraa and training the great In Full Flight to victory in 1972.
In addition, Dennis’s father-in-law was Eric Ballance, the official photographer at all KZN courses between the 1950’s and mid 1970’s and he used to provide all of the photos for the Duff’s Turf Guide.
Dennis also recently bumped into the well known racing owner and administrator Bill Lambert, who lives in nearby Hilton. Bill’s father Frank Lambert owned Diza, who was in fact the last Pietemaritzburg-based horse to win the July.
Dennis actually played a part in Aubrey Robert’s career. Due to his connections in the sport he introduced Aubrey to trainer George Askew. Aubrey later became apprentice to Terry Ryan.
Dennis recently touched base with Hollywodbets Brands and Communications manager Devin Heffer, having discovered he was at he same school as him, Marist Brothers in Durban. Dennis’s one nephew is a friend of Hollywoodbets owner Owen Heffer.
Dennis revealed he enjoys the “atmosphere” of horseracing and he watches channel 240 on occasion, but he does not partake in betting.
He is looking forward to that big day on the first Saturday of July in 2029, when he can honour his late father, whom he knew for only seven short years but of whom he is justifiably proud.
