Ride Of The Month: Andrew Fortune

The 11th in our popular series of the most eye-catching ride by a Cape-based jockey each month. We ask former World Sports Betting Cape Met-winning rider and renowned jockey MJ Byleveld, now a member of Cape Racing’s on-course commentary team, for his verdict.

Ride Of The Month (April): Andrew Fortune – English Mistress

Despite there being only four race meetings in the month under review, it was Andrew Fortune who holds all the bragging rights from April. Not only did he boot home the most number of winners in the centre, with eight, but three of his rides made my shortlist for Ride of the Month.

Before we get to my selection for April, let me take you through the others that I feel deserve recognition. 

The first of these came in the fourth race at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 16th where Ossie Noach got Captain’s Destiny home by a short-head over Sean Veale on Song Of Myself. He obviously knows this filly well, and was riding her for the 10th successive race and he timed his run to perfection. Sure, it was touch and go at the end as to whether Song Of Myself had caught him, but the win was put in the frame.

Andrew (Fortune) then helped himself to two wins, both of which are worth a mention. Despite being drawn wide (13 out of 14 over 1600m), he managed to find a good position on Kleinzee and he got her going to win. She’s obviously a decent filly and that helped, but it was a fine ride.

In the next race he was again drawn wide, this time 12 of 16, and again managed to get his mount, Wehaveasituation, across and into a good position. From there he drove the filly home, notching a 98/1 quick double inthe process.

The next eye-catcher was Gavin Lerena on Ukuduma, the third race over 1100m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on the 21st. The young filly looked to be going nowhere, but Gavin managed to pick her up and get going to touch off Craig Zackey on Ruby Rex.

Which brings me to my ride of the month. Drum roll … Andrew Fortune. 

She was still a maiden after 17 starts and again started favourite over 1700m. He was the fifth jockey to ride her and she’s been her own worst enemy, finishing second or third 10 times. This time it was a case of a jockey outhinking her and instead of letting her hit the front too early and having time to wonder where she was, he produced her at the perfect time to be in front at the finishing post. It was a clever ride from him.

MJ’s past rides of the month:

2024

June: Oswald Noach – Little Miss Pink

July: Craig Zackey – Green Isle

August: Corne Orffer – Master Redoute

September: Oswald Noach – Princess Of Bayeux

October: Richard Fourie – King Viserys

November: Gavin Lerena – World Of Pleasure

December: Chad Little – Azzurri

2025

January: Gavin Lerena – Rascova

February: JP van der Merwe – Callmegetrix

March: Richard Fourie – Okavango