It was a sad day for South African Racing with the passing on of Port Elizabeth based jockey, Gift Funeka, who died earlier today. At this stage details are unknown. www.SAHorseracing.com sends condolensces to the Funeka family.

He became the first Black jockey to have ridden in the Durban July. Born in Durban in July 1979, he had been living and working in Port Elizabeth at the time of his death. His first winner came at the Scottsville track in Pietermaritzburg on Dale Vision for Clodagh Shaw.

He rode His Nibs in the Durban July in 2000 and in so doing became the first Black jockey ever to hyave ridden in the race.

He was sidelined in 2009 for four and a half years after having suffered badly from meningitis. He made his comeback on 13 December 2013 when he rode Blow Me A Kiss for Mark and Dorrie Sham on the Fairview polytrack.