RIDING Flag Man, jockey Serino Moodley might just be the one to beat in Saturday’s Hollywoodbets Durban July (HDJ). Independent Newspapers got up close and personal with the 27-year-old who will be racing another seven other races before the main one on Saturday.
Full Name: Serino Moodley
Date of Birth: Born in Johannesburg on 26 November 1996 (27 years of age)
Education: Pentarosa Primary & Topaz College
Joined Academy: “I first joined the Academy in 2012 but left at the end of that year for personal reasons. I then joined James Maree’s work riders programme and rode in races in 2013 & 2014. In 2015, Diego de Gouveia and myself went to the Academy in Zimbabwe under the tuition of Martin Ball (who has since joined the Academy at Summerveld) before returning to the main Academy in 2016. After serving the final three years of my apprenticeship in KZN, I was granted my professional jockey’s licence at the beginning of 2019.”
Siblings: “I have two brothers - the older brother is studying to be a pilot and my younger brother, Tristan, has just started riding work for the Paul Peter stable.”
Home: “I live in the Emberton Estate in Hillcrest.”
Pets: “Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in our Estate.”
Hobbies: “I am something of a fitness freak - I spend a lot of my spare time in the gym, doing mainly cardio and (light) weight training. I am always in a good mental space in the gym.”
Favourite Food: “Pork ribs are my absolute favourite but generally I do enjoy a variety of good food.”
Favourite Beverage: “Ice cold Coke - I don’t touch alcohol.”
Music Preference: “R n’ B Music - no particular favourite artist, I just love the genre.”
Favourite TV Show: “I am no potato couch! I watch Tellytrack a lot and my favourite TV sport is cricket - particularly the IPL. I support the Chennai Super Kings who have had South Africans Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir and Lungi Ngidi in their books.”
Car: “BMW 118i - a great car!”
Racing- Best horse (s) you have ridden: “I’ve ridden Monkshood and Along Came Polly for the Gavin van Zyl stable - she was brilliant! I think Green with Envy is the horse to beat, and Royal Victory is another I’d watch out for.”
Favourite Race Track: “Borrowdale Park in Harare, Zimbabwe, is a great track but Greyville is my best course as I have had a lot of success there. An advantage I have is that I have got to sit on my horse for the last month for almost every single day.”
Major feature race wins: “I have yet to win a graded race but I did win a non-black type feature for trainer Paul Lafferty on The Bayou over 1600m at Scottsville, coming from the back of the field. Hopefully my first graded race victory is not too far away in the future."
Comfortable riding weight: “I am a natural light-weight and can easily draw the minimum weight of 52 kg. My fitness programme keeps me “lean ’n mean”!“