OFF THE RECORD #117

From costly mistakes to Champions Day success

Manoko’s story gathers momentum

Above: Better Never Ends wins TAB SA Nursery (image: Alet Pretorius)

There was a moment, early in last Saturday’s Grade 2 TAB SA Nursery at Turffontein, when more than a few racegoers quietly settled on the same thought: with only four runners lining up, this might at least be a worthwhile trip for the small visiting stable of ‘Bo’ Ngcobo. His maiden outsider, Better Never Ends, is guaranteed fourth place and will earn a cheque to help with the journey back to Summerveld. Shame, man, that’s cool!

If you were among those who entertained that sympathetic notion, you’ll no doubt be smiling now. Because racing, as it so often does, had other ideas.

Better Never Ends (DeclarationOfPeace) was not there to make up the numbers. Always travelling well, he surged forward under Muzi Yeni to capture the 1160m contest in style. The victory yielded R296,875 in prize money, a further R100,000 BSA Juvenile winner incentive for owner Johannes Manoko’s Dladla Family Trust, and an additional R50,000 visitor’s incentive from 4Racing for Ngcobo, a result that transformed a hopeful outing into an unexpected, richly rewarding triumph. 

Above: Johannes Manoko receives his SA Nursery trophy and incentive cheque from 4Racing’s Matthew Daniel (image: Alet Pretorius)

Manoko, who suggested the fitting of blinkers to Better Never Ends and encouraged Ngcobo to take his chance on Champions Day, said: “This victory came as a relief, racing is an expensive sport. It was simply wonderful to be on course and experience the moment. We will treasure it forever.”

Better Never Ends, a graduate of Clifton Stud, was purchased at the 2025 Bloodstock SA August Two-Year-Old Sale, and Manoko recalled: “We really liked the colt and had set a limit of R200,000. But there were several others who had spotted him, and the bidding quickly went beyond the 200k mark. The adrenaline was flowing, though, and I asked Bo to stay in the hunt. He was hesitant – worried we might overspend – but we pushed on and secured him for R360,000.”

Above: Johannes Manoko, Muzi Yeni and Wendy Ngcobo celebrate victory (image: Alet Pretorius)

Manoko shelled out a further R450,000 at the same sale to secure Nightshine, an athletic colt by Rafeef, who was sent into training with Alson Ndzilana at Randjesfontein. “He was a late foal and we expected him to go for less, so once again we had to dig a little deeper. But it has proven worthwhile. Nightshine has finished second in both his starts, the latest behind Mike and Mathew de Kock’s highly regarded two-year-old, World Attraction. I believe our colt will develop into a very good horse.”

Manoko endured a nightmare start to his ownership journey, with his first dozen runners including Storm Crest, Manuriki, Platinum Hill and Beartic. But they proved to be as limited as anyone has ever owned. All appeared to have respectable pedigrees, but on the track they belonged to that unfortunate category of runners who habitually finish a distance behind the second-last horse.

He said: “We made mistakes with our first batch of purchases, and bought poorly. We simply couldn’t believe our bad luck, but I suppose that’s how you learn in racing. Perhaps I needed to pay my school fees, as one does in business. And believe me, I did.

“We then broadened our approach and started visiting various stud farms. I came to understand how the environment in which young horses are raised can influence their performance on the track. I’m particularly fond of Macrath Farm in Mooi River, where the rolling hills and valleys allow young horses to move freely and build strength.”

Macrath bred Manoko’s two-year-old, The Name Of Dladla, who recently turned in a much-improved run at the Vaal and was narrowly beaten at Turffontein earlier this week. “He’s a nicely-bred horse who needed gelding and we think he will win soon. The other well-performing runner is our filly Vixenthevineyard, who has placed in her last seven runs. She is versatile and pays her way, and perhaps she will take off and win a few races once she has got her Maiden out of the way.”

Another sign that the tide has turned for this likeable owner’s racing interests is Ehhfifteenkjoe, a bargain purchase who has already produced two placings from five starts. Manoko said: “I liked him at the KZN Sale, but I didn’t think I’d get him. In the end, I was the only bidder and secured him for just R15,000. He’ll win us a race.”

Manoko’s love for racing stems from a lifelong affection for animals and birds. He grew up on a farm in the small Free State town of Heilbron, sometimes chased hares to feed the family and, as a youngster, developed a particular fascination with pigeons. “They intrigued me. We kept a few in cages and let them out every day, and the flock gradually grew. They always returned for food. Sometimes I would fall asleep outside the house, just watching them come and go.”

From those early lessons in observation and adaptability, Manoko would go on to build a business career. He partnered with entrepreneur, Chris Venter, in 2004, and recalled: “We founded Ukhdo Exploration for coal mining purposes and tried to establish ourselves in Mpumalanga, in areas like Belfast and Piet Retief. We were often first to identify some excellent mining sites, but when it came to the approval stage, there always seemed to be someone ahead of us in the queue.

“We then decided to pivot into construction, focusing exclusively on private clients, and that proved to be a good move. Business has been tough – never easy – but we’ve secured a place on the registered database of reputable companies like Total. Most of our work now involves building canopies at filling stations and then maintaining the structures.”

Manoko produces steel plates, fascia boards and beams for his construction business on a two-hectare farm outside Pretoria, where he employs 60 workers. He also owns a 14-metre truck used to transport materials to various filling stations.

He enthused: “I took a nice bet on Better Never Ends and won over R40,000, which I gave to my workers as a bonus. I spend most of my time at the office on the farm and rely on my staff to keep everything running smoothly. Some of them live on the property and also look after the workshop.”

Most of the owner’s runners now race in the Dladla Family Trust, named in honour of his father and grandfather, both of whom were devoted animal lovers. “I’d like to leave a legacy. I’ve only just started and there’s a long road ahead, but we’re taking racing seriously, and we love the game.”

“I’ve spent many hours with Alson and Bo, and they’ve taught me a great deal about horses and horsemanship. I now have a clearer understanding of what to look for in terms of conformation. We apply our minds and aim to buy well, so that we can compete at the highest level and win more big races. My trainers are more than capable of preparing runners to take on the best, and I want to support them in establishing themselves further.”

Manoko is also setting his sights on breeding winners. He has placed two mares – Blowin In The Wind (Querari) and Angel Of My Heart (Gimme The Greenlight) – with Macrath Stud, with more to follow. “I’m not rushing in head over heels; I’ll invest carefully. I want to make a meaningful, long-term contribution to the game, and help others to succeed along the way.”