Horse racing is the people’s sport, says Sithebe

Since her appointment as CEO of 4Racing, Fundi Sithebe, a former COO of Airports Company SA, has acted swiftly to erase the turbulence the sport of racing has endured in recent years.

A qualified pilot, Sithebe has — in less than two years — successfully swapped aircraft for racehorses with a hands-on approach that sees her attend most meetings on the highveld.

At the time of her appointment, she said: “I look forward to engaging with all stakeholders as 4Racing proceeds with the transformation and rebuilding of the SA horse racing industry.”

Her “engaging” has resulted in Sithebe and her team securing a number of new sponsors. This is vital for any sport.

Sithebe’s latest offering is to state that racing is no longer the “Sport of Kings” but rather it is “The People’s Sport”.

She points to a video in the US regarding Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby run in Kentucky in the first week of May.

“Hailing from Louisville, Kentucky, home to one of the most legendary horse races, the Kentucky Derby, popular American rapper, singer, songwriter Jack Harlow’s music video for his song Churchill Downs, stars him and featured rapper Drake, at the world-famous racetrack by the same name. The video depicts the two enjoying a day at the 2022 derby and is the epitome of horse racing’s grandiose reputation: haute couture fashion, wealthy horse owners, beauty queens, red carpets, suits, suites, long paparazzi lenses.

“But little focus is given to the thousands of general racegoers and punters and their experience of the exhilaration of a big racing day.

“The portrayal of the sport in the video is one of the reasons why horse racing is called the Sport of Kings, when in reality … horse racing is the Sport of the People,” Sithebe said.

“When I joined 4Racing in 2021, a company responsible for horse racing operations, and officially started its operations on December 1 the same year, I knew nothing about horses, other than those that delivered wood to my childhood township of Diepkloof in Soweto.  So of course, when the investors approached me to take the reins, I was sceptical due to my inexperience of the industry, but I knew I was shortlisted for my expertise and track record as an executive.

“So I sat in front of the investors for my interview and was blatantly honest about my reservations, only to discover that, that is precisely what they were looking for.

“When I became 4Racing’s CEO, I inadvertently achieved a milestone as the first black African woman to run a horse-racing company. It’s an honour, and also at the core of my challenge: I may be the first, but I cannot be the last.”

Selections:

First race: (2) Unyielding (3) Writteninthesand (4) Efficient Trader (7) Southern Style

Second race: (2) Pure Predator (1) Fire 'N Flames (6) No Place Like Home (8) Queen Of Camelot

Third race: (2) Ice Star (7) Heirloom (1) Global Thunder (3) Arctic Commander

Fourth race: (3) Phantomoftheforest (1) Raptor Island (9) Sky Velocity (4) Carnelo

Fifth race: (8) Burmese Tiara (7) Welcome Breeze (4) Bloomington (6) Napoleon

Sixth race: (8) Cape Lights (2) Tulip Tree (1) Crimson Princess (4) Southern Song

Seventh race: (3) Island Beauty (2) Call The Wind (8) English Primrose (9) Lidl Miss Sunshine

Eighth race: (1) Monsieur Chevelle (9) Luthuli (7) Manx Knight (3) Oyster King

Ninth Race: (3) Pendragon (8) Power Ranger (1) Mcebisi (7) Timbavati River