Good value in no-name brand

A horse is dangerous at both ends and uncomfortable in the middle. That's why we have jockeys.

Someone has to do the crazy job of getting that critter around a racetrack so the rest of us can have fun and try to make a quick buck.

It's axiomatic that jockeys aren't normal: courageous, talented and petite, sure, but not in possession of the self-preservation instincts of the fully sane.

The best of them are revered, lauded and given encouragement at all times to recover from broken bones. The lesser ones, well, just get on and hang on.

The International Jockeys Challenge is in town this weekend - in Johannesburg and Cape Town anyway, with Durban dropping off the itinerary for reasons unannounced.

We've become used to having household names in the saddle over the past six years of this event - with the likes of Frankie Dettori, Mick Kinane and Jaoa Moreira. This time, not really.

The absence of superstars among the visitors does take the gloss off, but the individuals recruited are still good riders and the competition with the South Africans - captained by the irrepressible S'Manga "Bling" Khumalo - will surely be compelling.

News of James Doyle signing up as stable jockey to the mighty Godolphin operation for the coming season was perfect timing for the South African event, with the Englishman having already been named as captain of the international team and some local racegoers muttering: "James who?"

Followers of the game in Britain will know who the 26-year-old is. In recent months he has piloted Kingman to Group 1 wins in the St James's Palace Stakes and the Susses Stakes, and partnered Frankel's full brother, Noble Mission, to victory in the Champion Stakes.

In Doyle's team are Adam Kirby, 2013 all-weather champ in England and seventh on the overall log this year; Andreas Helfenbein of Germany, a 46-year-old who has ridden winners in half a dozen countries; Yasin Pilavcilar of Turkey, who continues the tradition of representation of a smaller racing nation; Gregory Benoist of France, and Martin Harley of Ireland.

If those names don't particularly excite, here's something that might make this year's challenge one to remember: South African team member Piere Strydom is five short of the unprecedented milestone of 5000 winners in a career.

"Striker" hasn't drawn the most promising of rides in the challenge races and tells me he won't be putting pressure on himself to nail the magic Big Five this weekend. "It will come when it comes," he says.

But this is a man of uncommon will, and the talent to go with it, so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility.

You want world-class riders? Well, there'll be at least one out there.