OFF THE RECORD #89

Passion, personality and presentation
The faces and voices of 4Racing’s summer season

4Racing’s 2025 Spring/Summer Season is officially underway, launched by last weekend’s Listed Betway Spring Spree Stakes. From here the action only builds, with a strong line-up of feature events ahead, among them the Grade 2 Betway Joburg Spring Challenge, the Grade 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge, the Grade 3 Betway Victory Moon Handicap, and the Grade 2 Allied Steelrode Onamission Charity Mile — all setting the stage for the season’s showpiece, the R6-million Grade 1 Betway Summer Cup on 29 November, Africa’s richest race.

Racing Today’s daily and weekly shows will continue to keep fans both informed and entertained. Popular programmes such as Track Talk, Weighted to Win and Racing Today’s talk shows will all be streamed on www.racingtoday.co.za. Overseeing it is Stephen Watson, Head of Content at 4Racing, who guides the team of presenters bringing the colourful Highveld summer buzz into viewers’ living rooms.

Above: Nico Kritsiotis with Dubai commentator, Pat Comerford & Naqeeb Munshi (Image: JC Photos)

Nico Kritsiotis started presenting racing on TV at Clairwood Park in 1991 when he was asked to host out of province racing on Clairwood Park racedays. He was then hired as a studio presenter at IGN in 1996 and started commentating regularly in Gauteng and Bloemfontein in the early 2000s. He has not lost his enduring passion for studying form and presenting and deputises whenever he is called upon to do so. He has a great relationship with all the owners, trainers and jockeys and is at home whether it be in his happy place, the commentary box, or presenting with his fellow colleagues which he has forged great relationships with.

Above: Neil poses with Serino Moodley (image: JC Photos)

With rock-steady Nico Kritsiotis and emerging voice Naqeeb Munshi in the commentary box, the on-course presenting team is boosted this season by the accomplished Neil Andrews. While his appearances will be limited to major feature days and occasional stand-in roles, Andrews brings broadcast finesse, blending professionalism with sharp wit and his often unconventional approach to structuring winning bets.

Andrews will also be making a welcome return to the anchor chair of the Champions League on SuperSport, while sharing his football insights on Racing Today’s Play of the Day, helping football fanatics in their quest to win the innovative soccer bets on offer at tab.co.za. He said: “I love football, but racing still has a charm of its own. I thoroughly enjoy days out at the track. Racing is always full of colourful characters, and getting up close to some wonderful horseflesh is a pleasure I like to indulge in.”

Above: The 'Tower of Turffontein' Lyall Cooper interviews Hayley Turner (image: JC Photos)

The towering figure of Lyall Cooper was notably absent from 4Racing TV when he was bedridden with cancer a few years ago. But he fought his way back to health and has since returned to doing what he loves. Now the senior presenter on the team, Lyall is in his 14th year as an on-course and occasional studio host. He speaks with deep love and gratitude of the racing industry, crediting his passion for horses and racing as a driving force in his recovery. Today, he relishes every moment in front of the camera.

As a boy, Lyall had two dreams: to become a professional golfer and to work in the racing industry. He has lived the first and is now living the second. A gifted golfer, he turned professional straight out of school and excelled on the PGA Club Tour, capturing five tournament victories. His career then took him into leadership roles — first as Director of Golf at Parkview Golf Club, and later for 15 years at the prestigious Johannesburg Country Club. There, he became a sought-after teacher and earned recognition as one of South Africa’s finest trick-shot players, a unique talent that saw him travel the world as a guest performer at high-profile golf days.

In 2012, a chance meeting with a Phumelela racing executive prompted Lyall to put his name forward for a possible role in racing. He had almost forgotten about the encounter when, two years later, he was invited to a studio audition. His knowledge and natural presence so impressed the old Tellytrack team that he was promptly hired, the start of his second career.

“I’d come to the end of the road in golf, and racing’s door opening was a true blessing. I live to go to the track and share my knowledge, and I am awestruck by horses, whether they are Maidens or Grade 1 performers,” he reflected. Beyond his expertise on South African form, Lyall is an avid follower of UK racing, which he feels offers clearer opportunities to identify potential winners. He also relishes live studio work, where his enthusiasm and insight have proven invaluable to punters.

Lyall said that he especially likes working on course with Shalandra Bunseelal, 4Racing’s energetic newcomer with the clear, recognisable voice. Shalandra had a working stint with Tellytrack between 2005 and 2007, and returned to the fray in 2023.

Above: Shalandra has been a valuable addition to the team and has an eye for outsiders! (Image: JC Photos)

Durban-born, a young Shalandra shared his love of horseracing with his grandfather, an active punter. He said: “I moved to Johannesburg in 1997 to pursue my interests in all things Indian. I love and appreciate the Indian community and I started writing Bollywood movie columns for The Star and Sunday Times.”

Shalandra has hosted the breakfast show on a community station in Lenasia for the last 25 years, and his prominence in Indian media circles was rewarded when he was offered the job of producing a lifestyle show for Saffron TV on the DSTV bouquet, in the mid-2000s. He also accepts regular invites to the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), which allows him to travel the world to attend this annual red-carpet event.

Contrary to the playful chirps of some punters, Shalandra doesn’t tip horses simply because they are trained by Indian trainers or carry Indian names. He is a serious student of form, combining his knowledge with a sharp eye on the track and a habit of studying race replays closely.

“I find some of the Indian names quite intriguing. I tipped Diwali Rocket at 25-1 to win a handicap at Turffontein last year, but that had everything to with his looks and the way I saw him run his previous races.”

Known for fearlessly tipping outsiders at any price, Shalandra has built an impressive list of successes with longshots. As recently as last Saturday, he advised punters to back Laughing William at 16-1 at Turffontein, a six-year-old overlooked by most. “I studied his replays and felt he’d do well over 1450m. He’d shown a liking for the course and distance, and he displayed good pace over a mile in his recent runs. I believe you have to have the courage to tip what you truly fancy, what your heart and gut tell you. Anybody can tip favourites, and statistically they get beaten more often than they win. I prefer to identify value and share those insights with punters, always with confidence.”

Above: Vikki Lerena is knowledgeable on form and often spots winners in the parade ring (Image: JC Photos)

The bright blossom in the paddock is Vikki Lerena, who received a surprise call from 4Racing’s Head of Broadcast, Keshree Naidoo, when the search was on for racing presenters with a background in the industry. Vikki recalled: “Johnny Geroudis and I were thrown in the deep end without much training, but 4Racing had the confidence that we could do it. They clipped the microphones on us and there we were, in the spotlight on a big day – the first leg of the Triple Tiara in 2023. We were shaky, but it all worked out well.”

Over the last two years, Vikki has grown in confidence. While her heart still pounds hardest during on-course interviews, she is now far more at ease in front of the cameras. A former jockey herself, and constantly at the coalface alongside her champion jockey husband, Gavin Lerena, she knows the sport inside out – and has a good eye for a well-prepared horse.

Vikki still rides work at Turffontein from time to time. She partnered regularly with Erico Verdonese’s recent Highveld Three-Year-Old Series winner, Choisaanada, and explained: “I was able to relay his well-being to the public when he came to race days.”

She also puts runners through the pens for Johan Janse van Vuuren when the opportunity arises. “Ideally, I’d like to ride work more often. I still enjoy riding and it comes easily, but Gavin and the children demand most of my attention.”

Vikki said she misses the quiet, steadying presence of retired presenter, Cecil Mthembu, but enjoys working alongside Lyall Cooper. “He has helped me along, I’ve learnt a lot from him.”

While she is enjoying herself and honing her craft in Gauteng, Vikki added that she would love to do guest stints in other racing regions in the future.

Above: The tireless 'Johnny G' (Image: JC Photos)

Johnny Geroudis, or ‘Johnny G’ as he is affectionately known, was on holiday at his family home in Tessaloniki, Greece when contacted, and promptly sent back photos and videos from a lavish waterfront lunch. The former top jockey’s colourful persona is one of his biggest drawcards – and a quality viewers love. Combined with his natural horsemanship, close ties with trainers and jockeys, and deep knowledge of form, he has become a valuable member of the broadcast team.

Johnny reckons the butterflies before his first on-course shift were not unlike those he felt before the 1995 Durban July – a race he famously won on Teal. “I like talking, I talk a lot, but when they put a microphone in my hand and a camera in my face, it was a strangely new and grounding experience.”

Two years on, presenting comes far more easily – and Johnny is relishing every minute. “What I love most is interviewing owners when they win their first races, or when they land the big ones. Their joy is palpable – and infectious. We’re a big team now and there are only so many shifts for each presenter. I wish I could do more!”

Johnny rode thousands of winners worldwide – including a host of stakes successes – and claimed a championship in Mauritius before hanging up his boots in 2015. Now, in his adopted role as a presenter, Johnny has found a fulfilling second career. His biggest fan (and critic) is his wife Yanti and he said: “She phones me straightaway when she spots a mistake or when she is not happy with something I said!”

Together, this diverse team of presenters embodies the spirit of racing itself, enthusiastic and deeply passionate. With them at the helm, viewers can look forward to a season every bit as thrilling as the races they’ll be covering.