The path from “bush racing” to mainstream race riding is not well-trodden but jockey Philasande Mxoli is one to have negotiated it.
The 23-year-old from Eastern Cape became a fully-fledged jockey at the start of the current season (1 August) and celebrated the milestone by winning the very first race of the new campaign at the Vaal racecourse.
Philas – as he is known in the jockey room – made sure people took notice of his arrival by landing a treble on that card for trainer Paul Matchett and in so doing, notched up the 100th win of his career – the previous 99 came during his five-year apprenticeship.
Mxoli has ridden 34 winners this term at a win strike-rate above 8% and place strike-rate upwards of 50% and lies in 15th position on the National Jockey Championship standings – a commendable feat considering he doesn’t do the cross-country travelling of his closest rivals on the log.
Another two victories are likely to be added to his tally of winners this season when racing returns to the Vaal Classic track for a nine-race card on Tuesday 20 February.
Mxoli has ridden Atarime in three of his four starts and improved his finishing aboard the Matchett-trained son of New Predator on each occasion. He steered the three-year-old colt to fifth on debut over 1160m and fourth over 1200m in his second start before finishing second on Atarime last time over 1700m on the Classic track earlier this month.
The step up to 2000m in Race 4 is unlikely to hold any fears for Matchett’s charge who ought to open his account at the fifth attempt.
Race 5 is a competitive FM 92 Handicap over 2000m and a case can be made for most of the 11 runners in the race. However, none makes more appeal than Matchett’s mare Special Charm who Mxoli knows well. He has ridden her seven times for two wins, two seconds, as well as a fourth.
He last partnered Special Charm three starts back in Non-Black Type Sun Chariot Stakes over 2400m and finished second on that occasion. This five-year-old daughter of Elusive Fort has finished fourth in both subsequent outings but could be rewarded for her consistency with Mxoli back in the irons from gate No. 1 and a handy galloping weight of just 55kg.
Earlier on the card, Mike de Kock’s East Coast ought to record the third win of his career in Race 2 over 2000m. As a three-year-old, this son of The United States finished second in the Grade 3 Victory Moon Stakes and third in the Grade 3 Gauteng Guineas, but it has been almost 500 days since his last victory. While he dropped in the ratings as a result, the decision to geld East Coast prior to his penultimate outing appears to have done him the world of good.
In two starts this year as a gelding, De Kock’s four-year-old gelding has acquitted himself well and in good company too. He was just 3.50 lengths off unbeaten Taegan’s Champ over 1600m last month before finishing fifth (5.50 lengths) behind Zeus over 2400m just over a fortnight ago.
The drop in distance together with the favourable conditions of the race will suit East Coast, who is at least 6.5kg better weighted than any of his rivals on official ratings.
Gavin Lerena’s good recent form is likely to continue on the day and, in particular, in Race 3 aboard one of the better bets on the card in Rafeef filly Great Barrier for trainer Candice Dawson.
He also rides Celtic Rumours in Race 8 over 1450m for Sean Tarry, whose Vercingetorix filly is unbeaten in two starts under Lerena and has won both previous outings over this distance.
Clive Robinson
