Statistics are ‘pliable’, but these are real winners.
The great humorist Mark Twain said, “There are lies, damned lies and statistics”, and on another occasion, “Facts are stubborn things, but statistics are more pliable.”
We’re all aware of how data, figures and measurements can be presented in a way that distorts “the truth” but, on the other hand, we can’t do without statistics in this world – especially in horse racing.
To the uninitiated, South Africa’s Computaform racing guide is a bewildering swirl of numbers, names, symbols and esoteric glyphs. To a racing person, it is a priceless map to guide us through the overgrown,
foggy landscape that is The Game.
We need stats to determine winners and losers, most importantly at the end of the season so we know who our champions are.
Mark Twain’s words still ring true, but nowadays – in an era in which data is hailed as king – we’d probably incline more towards another American wit, the famous business guru W Edwards Deming who said, “In God we trust. All others must bring data” and “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”
In the end, the 2024/25 racing season didn’t have any closely fought battles, so the actual stats and the tallies of success haven’t been widely published since the term ended late last week.
Here are the (much-abbreviated) honour rolls. For those who enjoy pouring over longer lists of names and numbers, the National Horseracing Authority has a website packed with them.
Jockeys
(number of wins, win rate, place rate)
Gavin Lerena 277 24.8% 53.3%
Richard Fourie 259 25.3% 50.9%
Craig Zackey 247 17.4% 46.9%
Muzi Yeni 145 12.5% 49.2%
Sean Veale 116 13.5% 39.9%
Trainers
(stake earnings)
Justin Snaith R31,013,601
Alan Greeff R16,202,596
Sean Tarry R15,481538
Candic Bass-Robinson R12,447,513
Dean Kannemeyer R12,314,856
Horses
(stake earnings)
Eight On Eighteen R6,556,875
Atticus Finch R3,631,256
The Real Prince R3,539,844
One Stripe R3,291,325
Gladatorian R1,994,838
Owners
(stake earnings)
Hollywood Syndicate [128 wins] R13,937,655
Drakenstein Stud [53] R8,288,709
Sabine Plattner [65] R8,222,696
Khaya Stables [31] R8,146,170
Nick Jonsson & Johan Rupert [3] R6,556,875
Stallions
(stake earnings)
Vercingetorix [58% winners/runners] R39,018,362
Gimmethegreenlight [47%] R27,725,241
Master Of My Fate [47%] R21,908,026
Querari [44%] R18,129,460
Lancaster Bomber [50%] R18,111,315
Apprentice jockeys
(wins)
Brevan Plaatjies 31
Tim Mayhew 21
Jace Botes 18
Mxolisi Mbuto 18
James Lihaba 17
