LUNGA IS GOING PLACES

Henk Steenkamp

Trainer Lunga Gila confirmed on Thursday he will continue his career in Cape Town.

Gila started training at Fairview in Gqeberha last season but will be relocating to Cape Town very soon.

He was in Cape Town on Wednesday where he met with the Chairman of Cape Racing, Greg Bortz, and Justin Vermaak, Executive Racing and Bloodstock, to discuss his plans.

“I also had a look at the facilities and where my stables will be at the Philippi Training Centre. I will be there in the first week of January.

“My last runners at Fairview will be on 29 December  when I will saddle two horses at the Poly meeting,” Gila explained. He has six runners at the Turf meeting this Friday.

“I am obviously very excited about this new chapter in my career. I would like to thank Messrs Bortz, Vermaak and Hollywoodbets for their assistance and guidance in the process.

“I am looking forward to the challenge and am determined not to let my clients, and all those who support me, down.

Gila saddled eight winners from 67 runs last season. That gave him the third highest win percentage of 11.9 in the Eastern Cape in his debut 2022/2023 season!

This season he already had seven winners with a win percentage of 10.

Gila started working with racehorses many moons ago.

“People are surprised to hear I even worked for the late oom Nic Claassen,” he says.

Lunga worked with top trainers in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal before deciding to take out his license.

He had a long stint as the right hand man of former trainer Mitch Wiese at Fairview.

He then worked for the Glen Kotzen-stable, running the satellite yard in Gqeberha and later in Durban.

Since 2021 he was in charge of the satellite yard of KwaZulu-Natal trainer Kom Naidoo at Fairview before a move to Gauteng didn’t work out to no fault of his own.

He then returned to the Eastern Cape to get his stable going. “Although excited about the new adventure, I am also sad to leave the Eastern Cape.

“To my fellow trainers, friends and supporters here, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your support and advice. It is greatly appreciated.”

Follow his stable on the Facebook page of Lunga Gila Racing Stables.