Lifestyle/Community
Larry Wainstein ensures the show will go on
Early in his life Larry Wainstein probably believed his future was in the world of football not as chief executive of the Racing Association, the body that represents the owners in the world of horseracing.
JACK MILNER
He was instrumental in initiating the International Jockeys’ Challenge and then, when nobody wanted to carry on with it, ensuring that it continued.
It will be run again this weekend and once again over two legs – in Port Elizabeth on Friday and at Turffontein in Johannesburg on Sunday. Among the jockeys this year are Italian-born Frankie Dettori, who is one of the most charismatic jockeys around, and Hayley Turner, one of the best women jockeys who came out of retirement to again ride in this event.
When Wainstein was voted in as chairman of the Racing Association (RA) he was approached by Tex Lerena and Neil Smith to help set up a Jockeys’ International.
“I spoke to Markus Jooste whose company, Gomma Gomma, was then the sponsor of the Summer Cup, to see if we could host the International Jockeys’ Challenge (IJC) on the same day.
“He agreed on condition I was involved to ensure the success of the event. The budget was huge and we were able to get the big names. We had Frankie Dettori, Jimmy Fortune, Mick Kinane, Damien Oliver, Darryll Holland and Olivier Peslier.”
After the first event the support for the IJC from some quarters waned but Wainstein was determined to keep it going. “The RA board felt it was the only event that epitomised the sport of horseracing and get our jockeys recognised as the athletes and sportsmen/women they are.”
It has been a tough slog since then. “It is difficult to get a competitive team of riders together to come to South Africa that does not interfere with their riding engagements in the other parts of the world.”
Wainstein has managed to turn the International Jockeys’ Challenge into one of the biggest events on the calendar, but has not always had the support of the racing clubs and sometimes also the media and the public.
“The criticism you take from all the so-called experts is frustrating. But on the other side the most satisfying part is when the international riders ask to be invited because of the feedback they have had about what a great event it is and how well they are looked after.
“The compliments we get from jockeys like Joe Moreira, Richard Hughes, Jamie Spencer and Hugh Bowman are amazing.”
Wainstein has always been a Johannesburg boy, born in Doornfontein in 1953, the second oldest of five boys. But, his life changed when the family moved to Turffontein in 1960. He matriculated at Forest High and went on to complete an IMM Diploma at Wits Business School.
Growing up as a Jewish kid in Turffontein in the 60s was quite an experience. “The closest Hebrew school was in Rosettenville and my late brother and I would walk there every day. On the way we would get into fights because we would walk with our yarmulkes on and the Afrikaans kids would say ‘hier kom die Jode’. We soon showed them whose medina Turffontein and Rosettenville was!”
The brother Wainstein speaks about is Morris Wainstein, a boxer who was the Transvaal featherweight champion. He clearly got his fighting experience on the streets of Turffontein!
“We attended shul every Friday and Saturday, either at Oxford or Berea. Often we were asked by Mr Marks, a horse trainer who ran the Turffontein Shul, to come there to make up a minyan. As Wainsteins we were proud to be Jewish.”
Soccer dominated his early life and he played for Marist Brothers as a youngster and represented Southern Transvaal and the South African Schools team. At the age of 17 he signed for Highlands Park as a professional and was then offered a trial by Wolverhampton Wanderers in the UK, then one of the leading first division clubs.
“My father would not allow me to go and said I had to complete my studies first,” said Wainstein.
By 1973 he was playing for Florida Albion on loan from Highlands Park. “With Stuart Liley we reached the Castle Cup Final against our own club, Highlands Park.”
He was living in Turffontein, the centre of horseracing. “Forest Hill was where all the stables were. My father, Maisch, was an avid racegoer. He and the late Gabby Soma (Joe Soma’s father) were buddies and they taught us about horseracing and the fundamentals of studying form. My interest was awoken at the age of 13.”
When he was 22 Wainstein attended a dispersal sale with Jan van Vuuren, a friend of jockey Freddy Macaskill. They bought three horses, “Running Fire from the Oppenheimers, Heza Prince from Bertie Sage and another who never won a race. Running Fire ended up winning us 10 races.”