A regular in the top five at home, leading rider has relocated to England for a full-time job as pupil assistant to William Haggas. But he’s still riding winners, as he tells Jon Lees
GB: Greg Cheyne could not have written a better opening to the next chapter of his jockey career – two rides, two victories since he relocated from South Africa to Newmarket.
Yet the primary reason behind the 46-year-old’s move was less about adding to his career tally of more than 2,370 winners, 
more about learning the ropes in a successful training operation.
For Cheyne has a new full-time job as pupil assistant to William Haggas with his work as a jockey a welcome sideline, when stable commitments allow.
So far during April he has found time to travel to Yarmouth to ride a winner for Haggas and picked up a second victory at Southwell for Newmarket-based South African trainer Dylan Cunha.
“I came over primarily to take up the opportunity with William Haggas, knowing that at the age of 46 it could be very tough to break into the system as a jockey, to learn what there was to learn about working in a racing yard,” he explains.
“I’ve been working as a jockey for the last 30 years in South Africa, jumping on and off horses, but you wouldn’t do much stable work over there.
“I’ve started at the bottom,” he adds. “I’ve been mucking out boxes, doing what the yardies would be doing. I’ve worked around with the head lads, the assistants, I’ve been racing to saddle runners. I’ve been given quite a good insight.”
Cheyne’s most valuable contribution to the Haggas operation has been insight about the horses he has partnered on the gallops. As such, victories on the stable’s Eastern Charm and Silver Sword, a last-minute spare, were unexpected. “It’s been a dream start,” he says. “Two rides, two winners. I couldn’t have asked for better.”
Cheyne hopes for further opportunities to experience Britain’s variety of racetracks, once the Flat turf season hits full gear but the Haggas job comes first. “I am employed by William and I don’t want to miss too much work,” he explains, “but if the opportunities are there I want to ride and the boss has said he will be flexible in that regard if I am wanted by outside stables.”
Cheyne works alongside wife Claire, who also has a job in the Haggas stable, after they decided to pursue a new challenge outside South Africa last year.
“I was still successful in South Africa, a top-five jockey every year and I could have potentially done that for another five years,” Cheyne explains.
“But I wanted to come here now rather than in five years' time. I wanted the opportunity to race ride, if it availed itself, but also wanted to learn this now so that when it was time to hang up the boots I had already worked myself into a yard.
“South African racing was on the rocks during Covid and post-Covid. Our country has its issues from a government point of view and things aren’t dandy there, so it was a bunch of reasons.
“I have no family back home, apart from in-laws, and my wife was also keen having done the diploma course at the National Stud and had loved Newmarket.”
Cheyne got a taste of Newmarket in 2017 when he came over to ride South African G1 winner Whisky Baron, finishing sixth in the G2 Joel Stakes. “I was smitten,” he says. “The racing here is pure.”
The horse was owned by the Kieswetter family, by whom he was retained in South Africa; they have horses in training with Haggas, and it was they who made the introductions.
Back home Cheyne’s record contains many accomplishments. He won 12 regional titles, ten in the Eastern Cape and two in the Western Cape.
“I was runner-up in the national title on three occasions,” he says. “I’ve had 12 Group 1 winners, over 100 black-type winners and ridden in Hong Kong and Singapore, where I was based for four years.”
While Cheyne is content to start at the bottom in the Haggas ranks, he has appreciated the opportunity to get on some of the stable’s stars My Prospero and Maljoom, plus the now -retired Addeybb.
“Unfortunately I never sat on Baaeed but I gave Addeybb his final gallop before he won in France up on the Limekilns which was really exciting.” he says. “Good horses from South Africa can compete internationally but the average horses here are way above average horses in South Africa.”
He is keeping an open mind on what the future holds. “At this point I am happy to continue doing the groundwork,” he says.
“I have no intentions of training. Pupil assistant, track rider and jockey at this point, maybe assistant trainer later, but I’m still learning about most facets of the game.”
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