Gavin Lerena issues statement after whipping fellow jockey at Turffontein
- Incident at Turffontein overshadows Cape Town Met weekend
- Jockey Gavin Lerena whipped rival Jason Gates during a race
- Lerena apologized, citing emotion-driven reaction; inquiry pending
Jockey Gavin Lerena attends the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup media event at The Sydney Arms. (Getty)
Cape Town Met weekend was overshadowed by a nasty incident that took place at Turffontein on Sunday.
Race two on Sunday's card saw Great Notion storm to victory in a maiden plate. As the eventual winner kicked for home at the two pole, eyes were drawn to Gavin Lerena, who stood up in his irons aboard favourite Gimmie A Storm and aimed three cracks of his whip not at the horse, but at rival jockey Jason Gates.
Gates' mount, blurred vision had steadily drifted across the track, hampering Gimmie A Storm and preventing the favourite from making any progress. Yet, Lerena's actions seemed completely unjustified and shocked the crowd into silence.
When the dust had settled on Sunday evening, Lerena took to X to release and official statement.
Lerena's statement read, "I feel it is imperative to offer a formal statement to the racing community. What took place is entirely inconsistent with my character and I deeply regret the incident."
"I extend my sincerest apologies to the owners and trainer of the horse, my sponsors, the racing fans, and the relevant race day authorities affected."
"I do want to clarify that my reaction followed encounters and actions from Mr Gates."
"In any competitive sport, the instinctual response to a perceived threat, provocation, or aggression can lead to a reaction that, under normal circumstances, we would not exhibit."
"I acknowledge that my response has raised views and opinions. This sport of racing has a special place in my heart; I hold it in the highest regard and remain dedicated to contributing positively to its reputation."
"I aim to uphold the values that make racing truly exceptional. Regrettably, today's incident detracted from that commitment, and I am deeply remorseful for any disappointment caused to the punters, owners, trainer, fans and officials."
Lerena is one of South Africa's most successful jockeys, having ridden more than 2500 winners around the world. The 39-year-old was also part of the winning Rest Of The World team at the 2016 Shergar Cup, scoring aboard Arch Villain and Danehill Kodiac.
The governing body in South Africa, National Horseracing Authority confirmed an inquiry will take place at a soon-to-be-fixed date. It is expected that Lerena will serve a lengthy ban as a result of his astonishing actions.
