Ride Of The Month: Chad Little

The seventh in our popular series of the most eye-catching ride by a Cape-based jockey each month. We ask former 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 (December): Chad Little – Azzurri

With the curtain coming down on 2024, it’s apt that we have something of a fairytale story to end off with and when Chad Little won on Azzurri at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth three days before Christmas there were a few tears shed.

Little’s story has been well-documented, and I’m sure there were those who had written off his chances of ever returning to the saddle, let alone having another winner, after he received a five-year ban in late 2019. 

It’s a huge credit to him and the people around him that he started riding again this season and when he unsaddled from Azzurri there were many moist eyes, the jockey himself being one of those people. 

It was actually a sharp ride, showing no race rustiness from five years away. He was right up with the pace in the eight-horse field over a mile, but the key was waiting on his mount from the top of the long straight. He sat until they’d gone past the 400m pole before he pulled Azzurri out and got going. Mela Strength actually came back at him and might have headed him again, but Azzurri found that little bit extra under Chad.

The month was dominated by winners coming front those who had been up with the pace on what was a track running quick throughout December. 

Wearing blinkers for the first time, Elusive Winter won on 4th December over the 1000m, with Gareth Wright producing a fine effort to hold off the favourite Tenango.

In contrast to the front-running, Ashton Arries came from off the pace over 1200m to get Why Not Jackie home ahead of Becky Sharp, also on the 4th. 

Then, Joshwin Solomons took Omikami to the front, which wasn’t the plan, over 1800m on the 28th, although it did no harm that he was carrying 50kg. But he had to fight off Richard Fourie on the odds-on Song To The Moon and Omikami won a short head, under a good ride.

I’m giving Craig Zackey two mentions this month. The first was on The Grey King on the 22nd over the mile. Craig gets along well with the four-year-old who often fights his rider, and was able to settle his mount in the race. As a result, when it came down to the finish, The Grey King kept going. Tsunami Warning on the 28th was another good ride from Craig as he held off Trippi’s Silk, with the pair five lengths clear of the third horse.

Piee Strydom’s win on Fatal Flaw from a wide draw in the World Sports Betting Cape Fillies Guineas on the 7th rivalled Chad for my Ride Of The Month. Piere is a master at pace and took Fatal Flaw to the front from the start from a tricky 13 draw and then dictated matters before going for home down the outside fence.

But, no one is going to argue that Chad Little earns this month’s vote from me. 

MJ’s past rides of the month

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