They didn`t call him "Big Race Bert" for nothing in the days when Politician ruled and Bertie Hayden was the jockey of the time with five wins in what is now the J & B Met and three in the former Rothmans July. We say a sad goodbye to Bertie Hayden who sadly passed this weekend.

Born in 1946 he was part of a legendary team with the great trainer Syd Laird, Bertie enjoyed the kind of success in the saddle which most jockeys can only dream of.

He was apprenticed to Robert Jackson in his first year and was champion apprentice in his third year. He then joined the late Tiger Wright`s stable for two years thereafter following which he moved to Cape Town with success for trainer Alec Soteriadis. Amongst that success he also rode a lot of winners for trainers Theo de Klerk and Willie Kleb. In 1971 after running second to Syd Laird`s Mazarin in the Derby, he was asked by the man known as 'The Bear' to join his stable in Natal. The main idea was to bring him into the equation because Laird's stable jockey, Robbie Sivewright, was not able to make the weight in the July.

Hayden won his first July aboard Mazarin and came to be known as 'Big Race Bert'.  He unfortunately stopped riding in 1991 after a recurring back injury and decided to take up training.

He once described Tiger Wright as a big influence in his career. 

Outside of racing he loved Ski-Boat Fishing. His biggest catch, a Barracuda and a Musselcracker were both South African records, one of which still stands and once caught a Marlin in Mauritius.

Hayden will be sorely missed but the fond memories of him as rider and trainer will live on.