Gray Ushers In A Changing Era

Last Stand: Strydom, Lerena In A Final Battle At The Vaal

- Jack Milner

Perhaps an interesting factor in Race 8 at the Vaal tomorrow that best epitomises the last race meeting of the 2024/25 season.

It features two horses trained by St John Gray, aptly named Palace Prince and After Hours, and they could well fight out the finish. Palace Prince is a two-year-old son of Potala Palace who will be having his fifth start while After Hours is a seven-year-old gelding who will be lining up for the 95th run of his career.

Ideally, they are represented by two top jockeys, Gavin Lerena, ready to officially be named Champion Jockey for the season, and Piere Strydom, who will be having his second-last ride of his career.

The two horses are comparable to the jockeys, a young top jockey who still has many years to achieve higher goals and a 59-year-old who has finally opted to close this chapter of his life.