Former champion jockey, Basil Marcus is recuperating at home after a serious seizure. No clear diagnosis has been made as yet, but a recent brain scan may provide some clues, according to son Adam, the Cape based trainer.
The incident was totally unexpected, with Marcus suddenly collapsing. As Adam related, “We thought he was a goner…, when the ambulance took too long to arrive, I bundled him into my car and rushed him straight to hospital.”
He continued, “The last time this sort of seizure happened was 27 years back when he had a bad accident during a race. The skull cap broke, he got kicked, and then had a seizure. After this recent incident, a brain scan pinpointed the same spot where he was kicked all those years ago.”
Doctors are treating Marcus conservatively, reasoning that as nothing bad had happened for nearly three decades, he may revert to an untroubled, healthy life. Adam reports, “My dad is recovering well, has all his faculties and is asking about the horses, following the game on television…”
Marcus was a champion jockey during his prime in South Africa, before heading to the Far East where he also proved tremendously successful in Hong Kong. Once his stellar riding career came to an end, he switched into training, both in South Africa and Singapore. He has since handed over to Adam, the youngest licensed trainer in this country, though Basil remains highly active, driving and promoting all aspects of the family racing business.
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Anthony Andrews off to Mauritius
Reins-man Anthony Andrews is off to ply his trade in Mauritius. He has been offered a two month contract with trainer Jean Pierre Henry, son of former island legend, Serge.
Andrews declared himself, “really excited at the opportunity.” Henry has 44 horses in his string, so ought to have sufficient depth to prove competitive in a tough racing jurisdiction.
The journeyman Cape jockey may not have anything close to the best strike rate in a town dominated by a select few top riders attached to powerful stables, but is respected for his correct riding technique and ability to work well with difficult horses – his successful association with recalcitrant, high-class sprinter Princess Royal being a case in point. The young jockey has been an industrious figure at the Cape in recent years, picking up rides for a number of trainers, including Glen Kotzen and Greg Ennion, whilst also venturing regularly to Port Elizabeth for Friday meetings.
Anthony comes from a true racing family. Father, Terry was assistant trainer to masterful Terrence Millard back in the day, whilst mother Annabel worked for many years as a racing journalist. The couple have since transferred their skills into breeding and spelling. They run the successful Sorrento Stud near Paarl which stands Triple Crown hero, Louis The King and Royal Air Force, both of whom were trained by Highveld conditioner, Geoff Woodruff.