Piet Botha fights off injuries to be able to live his dream

Come-back jockey Piet Botha’s victory salute and shout of triumph going past the post on Jay Rock provided the most uplifting image at an otherwise gloomy and rainsoaked Kenilworth on Saturday.

Botha has been out of race riding since 2010 with injuries and nerve damage to his upper body that bewildered medical specialists. Through an aggravating series of misdiagnoses, operations and rehab, the prospect of ever returning to the craft he loves seemed bleak, but somehow he made it back.

“I’m feeling very blessed and grateful as even a few months ago this was just a dream.” Botha said.

This relatively tall and slim jockey’s first ride back was on the same, Jay Rock in April when they finished stone last. Jay Rock was also mistakenly tried over 1800m and given that he’d finished in the bottom part of the field in three previous races up to 1600m, was an unconsidered 50-1 outsider. The drop to sprinting, as advised by Botha, clearly helped, together with faint-hearted, odds-on rival Cossack Guard again blowing a lead, and settling for a sixth second in a row.

Though racing was to be abandoned midway through the card due to deteriorating track conditions and poor visibility, Botha teamed up with another Glen Puller-trained entry, Dreaming Big to win the fifth and final race, as it turned out, in an even bigger 66-1 shock.

Dreaming Big had failed to pick up his feet at eight unplaced starts to date and seemed held safe after stuttering in five lengths behind favoured Off Broadway and front-runner, Pergola when they clashed on a bone dry track three weeks ago. But, changes in the going can lead to significant form reversals, and the mud-loving son of National Emblem woke up suddenly in the slush to outrun Off Broadway and zap most punters.

This improbable Jay Rock/ Dreaming Big double worked out at 3416-1. Now on a roll, Botha was dismayed that the meeting was halted with further promising rides stacked up later in the programme, where he could conceivably have added to his comeback haul.

A few weeks ago, he picked up a suspension, saying ruefully, ‘This is not good - getting a suspension before even riding a winner.”

Saturday’s results have rectified the situation, and with most of the Cape’s leading jockeys riding in Durban during winter, Botha should have increased opportunities to regain a winning habit that seemed a remote possibility during seven frustrating years out of the game.