A syndicate of Chatsworth businessmen, whose total
association with Gold Circle tallies more than 100 years, has stepped
up to the plate and bought a two-year-old filly for KwaZulu-Natal’s
first black racehorse trainer, Bennet Bulana.
Taomina, a Joshua Dancer filly out of the Golden Thatch mare, Thatch
Umbrella, will race for the syndicate comprising Moga Pillay, Bhiko
Solanki, Krish Naidoo and Vilo Perumal – all Saftote operators in
the Chatsworth area who have formed a company embracing their four
businesses called Sharp Move Trading 41 (Pty) Ltd. Which trades
as the Chatsworth Agents Consortium.
The filly, who cost the consortium R30 000 at the two-year-old
sale, is expected to make her debut towards the end of the year.
Moga Pillay, a spokesman for the consortium, said having brought
their four businesses together under one company, the next step
was to buy a horse as a group and with Bennet being granted his
licence, it offered the group the ideal opportunity to support him.
Moga, who already has another horse with Bennet in partnership
with Gold Circle KZN Chapter Chairman, Bill Lambert, and the company’s
CEO, Michel Nairac, said he hoped other groups would come forward
and support the new trainer.
“We are quite excited in the sense that the agents come to the
racecourse and now we have something to look forward to. For the
three new, when they do come to the course when the horse runs,
it will be great excitement.”
Moga said the consortium would look to buying more horses in the
future. “For my three partners owning a horse is a new thing and
I can tell you they are going to be very excited. All our children
are grown up now and hopefully they will want to follow on and buy
horses as well. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Bennet
all the very best in his career as a trainer”
Bennet said he was delighted with his new owners, the first Indian
consortium to buy a horse for him.
He said he had received numerous calls and e-mails congratulating
him on obtaining his licence and he believed the support of Moga
Pillay and his partners, as well as that of a number of leading
breeders and owners, would encourage others to “come to the party”
and support him. For more information please phone Bennet on 083
3965350.