Full version from Jimmy
'YOU BE THE JUDGE”
THE BEST MIDDLE DISTANCE HORSE OF THE PAST 50 YEARS
The next edition of Tellytrack's “You Be The Judge”, to be screened on Tuesday, 20th January, promises an especially entertaining couple of hours for viewers.
The debate will focus on the best middle distance horses (1600 to 2200 metres) to have raced in South Africa over the past 50 years, and the panelists, comprising racing historian and breeding expert, Charles Faull, retired Gold Circle Handicapper, Colin Buckham, jockey Garth Puller and trainers Alec Laird and Michael Azzie, will attempt to fathom which was the greatest of them all.
“We're not expecting a conclusive answer”, said producer, Aidan Lithgow, of Last Cowboy productions, “though there may be an outcome. We are merely looking to rekindle interest in the sporting side of racing, and the sport's magnificent history, which is sometimes forgotten in the betting focused world of South African horse racing today”.
It was the original intention to screen the programme during December, but the scope and the extent of the subject has required enormous research and taken far more time than originally anticipated.
More than 20 key people have been interviewed for the hour long documentary which will precede the debate, and those to be featured include Bennie Little, who rode Tiger Fish to victory in the Durban July of 1959; Alec Laird, himself, discussing some of the best horses trained by his late father, Syd Laird; former Laird stable jockey, Bertie Hayden; Syd Laird's sister, Mary Sivewright; racehorse owner and breeder, Chris Saunders, whose Jollify dead-heated with Sea Cottage in the 1967 Rothmans Durban July; retired trainer, Herman Brown, whose Gatecrasher must be counted as one of the unluckiest losers of the Durban July; Michael Azzie, grandson of the legendary George Azzie, the trainer of Hawaii and Elevation; retired jockey, Raymond Rhodes, who rode Hawaii and In Full Flight; jockey James Maree, who rode Home Guard; David Payne, trainer of In Full Flight; Michael Roberts, who rode both Sledgehammer and Gatecrasher; the Scott brothers, who bred Politician; Basil Marcus, who rode Foveros and Model Man, and who trained Jay Peg; Felix Coetzee, who rode the likes of Empress Club and Ilustrador; Geoff Woodruff, who has been associated with Star Effort, El Picha, Eventuail and Yard-Arm; Mike De Kock, trainer of such greats as Horse Chestnut and Ipi Tombe; Dean Kannemeyer, trainer of Dynasty; and Mike Bass, trainer of the current superstar, Pocket Power.
Providing expert opinion and overviews will be the likes of former racing journalist and TV presenter, Stewart Ramsay; trainer and TV presenter, Stan Elley; trainer Joey Ramsden and commentator and racing administrator, Graeme Hawkins.
Jimmy Lithgow has scripted the documentary and conducted the interviews, which required a week long trip around the country, very generously underwritten by Brian Roux, of BBR Shipping, who has had the distinction of transporting many of the racing legends to be discussed, as well as co-owning El Picha. Producer, Aidan Lithgow, and editor, Ian Wolvaardt, have worked long and hard in piecing the documentary together.
“It's turned out to be a labour of love”, said Aidan Lithgow. “As things stand, our small budget has meant that we have spent every available cent on the production, leaving nothing over for the producer and scriptwriter, but we will consider our efforts to have been worthwhile if we can encourage viewers to treat racing as a sport, as much as a gambling medium. The Racing Association and the Emerald Casino, the sponsors of the programme, must be commended for their continued association with projects like these, and if the viewing public's response is positive we will hopefully be able to debate the greatest sprinting and staying horses, the greatest trainers and jockeys”.
“The level of public input we have received, via E-mail, has been quite remarkable and there is obviously a keen interest in the history of horse racing”.
“You Be The Judge” will be flighted on Tellytrack at 19h30, this coming Tuesday, 20th January.
Issued by: Jimmy Lithgow
for Last Cowboy Productions
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