Callan puts Dave back on throne

Callan Murray reckons we can be thankful he hasn’t returned to South Africa with a mullet. He’s been in Australia for three years and has been doing a bit of surfing – two high-risk areas for disagreeable hairstyles.

Jokes aside and hair be damned, local racing fans are just thankful to have the former champion apprentice jockey – and a favourite son of the local turf – back in action in the motherland.

Murray wasted no time reminding us of his prodigious talent on horseback, booting home two winners at Turffontein on Saturday in his first meeting back, then popping down to KwaZulu-Natal the next day to pilot the Equus Horse of the Year, Dave The King, to victory in the Sir Theophilus St George A Stakes at Scottsville.

Murray-De Kock partnership

The prodigal’s return had been kept under wraps until form guides for the weekend were printed and there was much conjecture about his sudden appearance. Well-known horse owner Joao da Mata was quick on the draw with a YouTube chat with a still jet-lagged Murray and got some answers.

Mathew de Kock, recently returned from a successful training sojourn in Aus, to team up with his famous father Mike, has been instrumental in the jockey’s return. Mathew and Callan have long been close friends and that bond continued Downunder – even though the former was based in Melbourne and the latter in Adelaide.

Indeed, Callan’s brand-new engagement came via the De Kock connection, with fiancé Dani having worked as an exercise rider for Mathew in Melbourne.

In seems the Murray-De Kock partnership is a firm one – albeit of indeterminate duration in this iteration.

But the jock says he will be looking for other rides on good horses. For the moment, it’s a “see how it goes” situation.

The move has been made possible by Callan obtaining permanent residency in Australia – ironically. If things don’t work out in South Africa, he can always flit back to mulletland. Or he can bounce between the countries – and perhaps others, too.

Covid and lockdowns

“From when I left SA racing to where it is today there has been a significant improvement,” Murray told Da Mata. “The powers that be in the various provinces have done a fantastic job in getting the country back to a really good racing industry.”

When a much younger-looking Murray went to Australia in August 2021, SA racing had been hammered by Covid and government lockdowns and seemed on its last legs.

With a handful of Grade 1 winners under his belt, courtesy of the De Kock stable with the likes of Hawaam, Mustaaqeem and Rafeef, and riding experience in the hothouse of Hong Kong, the young man secured a contract with the South Australia racing authorities and the possibility of citizenship in a place where racing was thriving.

There were winners in Aus, but the lure of being a stable jockey to a powerhouse stable like De Kock has tempted him back.

No Hollywoodbets Durban July booking has been made yet, but he’s looking at possibilities, with a light weight and a young horse prominent in his deliberations.

Murray currently rides at a low of 56kg, but will work on 53kg with enough incentive.