Trainers Log of 20 years ago. 1996/97

David Ferraris top at 6.3 million
Tony Millard 4th
Peter Kannemeyer 5th
David Payne 7th
Herman Brown Jnr 8th
Pat Shaw 10th
Daan Burger 11th
Buddy Maroun 14th
Mike Airey 15th
Ricky Maingard 17th
James Maree 20th
Clodagh Shaw 23rd

other names that bring back memories further down the list

Roy Unsworth
Dumas Coetzee
Willie Pieters
Roy Howe
Bertie Hayden
Anne Upton
Mrs Heming - My personnel all time favorite trainer.
Eugene Cox
A Faul - Name skips me
Cyril Naidoo
Micheal Roberts not the Jockey
Nic Claasen

It would appear that your list is simply a microcosm of South Africa's recent history - 4 from your top twelve have left to continue their careers in other countries. That's 33% and a major skills drain which has not been replaced with the same quality since their departure.

I often wonder what keeps Mike De Kock here. He already has major international patrons & would surely move up yet another notch operating permanently out of Newmarket. Maybe he cannot tear himself away from sending out winners at the Vaal.

David Ferraris and Marwing....powerful combination in those days...

Why did Nic Claasen enjoy the privilege of having his first name "Nic" printed in the media where all the other trainers only had abbreviations of their first names? (Just a dumb thing with me in those days )

James Maree has a runner today. Sometimes retirement is a good thing.