As one chapter closes and another begins, it is fitting to reflect on the remarkable career Corné Spies has built as a trainer in his own right.
His official career statistics stand at:
- • 11,272 runners
- • 965 winners
- • 2,822 places
- • More than R74.4 million in stakes earned
Those figures tell only part of the story. Behind them lie decades of early mornings, long journeys, difficult decisions, memorable victories and unwavering dedication to the horses entrusted to his care.
The season just completed added another exceptional chapter to that record.
From 257 runners, the stable produced 25 winners, 70 places and more than R4.37 million in stakes. It was also a season marked by success at the highest level.
Hazy delivered a magnificent Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3 treble. Elegantrix added a Listed victory, while William Robertson secured another Grade 3 success.
To train nearly 1,000 winners is a rare achievement. To do so while producing multiple Grade 1 horses, competing successfully across several decades and continuing the legacy established by Tobie Spies makes the accomplishment even more significant.
From 1 August, Corné Spies will no longer appear as a sole trainer, as he officially enters into a training partnership with his son, Xander Spies.
The partnership marks the beginning of a new era for Spies Racing, built on the same values of hard work, horsemanship, loyalty and ambition that have defined the stable for generations.
Corné Spies’ chapter as an individual trainer may have concluded, but his contribution to South African racing continues. His record speaks for itself, his influence is firmly established, and the next chapter of the Spies Racing story now begins.
Congratulations to Corné Spies on an extraordinary career as a sole trainer.
The legacy continues.
