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Lanky Rachel, old-timer Muis a winning duo
The Citizen
|August 13, 2024
Michael Roberts and Rachel Venniker have completely different physiques: he's a pocket dynamo and she's athletically lanky.
But Rachel's performance at Ascot in the UK at the weekend surely reminded old-timers of the great champion's riding feats of yesteryear.
Narrow the eyes and watch young Venniker driving home horses in Saturday's Shergar Cup and you'll see patience, balance and sharp judgment of pace straight out of the "Muis" manual of jockeyship.
The bright yellow silks of Rachel's Rest of World team even triggered memories of Roberts' famous victory aboard the mighty Mtoto in 1988's King George at Ascot.
The association is no surprise: Roberts, as a leading trainer at Summerveld, has been Venniker's mentor in her so-far brief journey as South Africa's lone professional female jockey - even giving her specific advice on the phone last week as she prepared for the Shergar Cup, the world's most prestigious international jockey challenge.
This story is from the August 13, 2024 edition of The Citizen.
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