Striker Strydom: Piere keeps pushing limits at 57

‘I’ve been thinking about retiring at some stage; I just dunno which day.” In other words, how long is a piece of string?

Jockey Piere Strydom, 57, uttered the above in February this year, minutes after steering Lady Of Power to victory in the Gauteng Fillies Guineas at Turffontein – signalling that his long-anticipated farewell to horse racing would be on hold yet again.

At that moment, he was keen on the chances of Lady Of Power bidding for the Triple Tiara which, as her pilot, would have been a nice way for the great man to crown a glorious career in the saddle.

There had, of course, been many other possible crowning glories: getting to the 5 000 career wins mark (in 2014!), then his 50th birthday, then 5 500 winners, then trying for a fifth Durban July win, another Met…

But “Striker” would surely have to stop soon?

After all, he has survived all manner of injuries in a career that started in his father’s training yard in Port Elizabeth in the 1980s.

Cracked vertebrae were not uncommon, while a detached retina put him out of action for 14 months not so long ago.

That Triple Tiara dream soon faded. But by then, Strydom was taking rides to keep himself in shape through the summer season in his new home in Cape Town.

A chance-ride victory for another riding legend, Michael “Muis” Roberts, aboard See It Again in the Splashout Cape Derby in late February threw up a new bouquet of crowning glories, including another go at the Durban July.

A frustrating second place at Greyville, with only weight disadvantage denying Strydom victory, presented this past weekend’s Champions Cup as a chance for redemption.

A wide draw and an awkward passage conspired to frustrate See It Again yet again. Nice try, Striker! Happy retirement! Not so fast.

News just in is that Roberts has persuaded “the blond bomber” to continue his partnership with the star colt – right up until the Cape Town Met in late-January 2024.

Any bets that an absolutely bloody final tilt at the July will follow?

Thereafter a potential target could be Karl Neisius’ retirement age of 58 (in the modern era). What about Stanley Amos ’65 (in the golden era)? Twist that rubber arm.