The South African racing industry were shocked to learn of the passing of popular KZN jockey Alec Forbes this morning.
Forbes, a mainstay of the Natal riding ranks, had ridden in five of the eight races carded at Scottsville on Wednesday . He had felt “fluish” while using the sweat box prior to Wednesday’s races, and wife Lezeanne took Alec to casualty where he was diagnosed as having pneumonia. Unfortunately, the rider passed away early this morning.

Alec, who was 41 at the time of his passing, leaves behind his trainer wife Lezeanne and children Savannah and Jordan.

His last win came aboard the Wendy Whitehead trained Master Of Mischief (Argonaut) who was victorious in Scottsville’s sixth race on Wednesday.

He booted home well in excess of 700 winners during his riding career, with Forbes notching up big race success in such races as the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship, Gr1 Computaform Sprint, Gr1 Gold Cup, and Gr1 SA Fillies Sprint. He also won the Gr1 Gold Medallion on both Link Man (2010) and Zeeno (2006).

Alec also won races on the likes of star sprinters Shoe Shac (Shoe Danzig) and Via Africa (Var) and impressed many punters with his score aboard Gleaming Sky (Badger Land) in the 1997 Gr2 Natal Oaks.

Alec Forbes’ untimely death added further poignancy to the impressive win of Miss Frankel yesterday. A first South African winner for world superstar Frankel, Miss Frankel was produced by former Equus Champion Val De Ra, whom Alec steered to six of her 11 wins, headed by a triumph in the 2012 Gr1 Cape Flying Championship.