Owner of the Month – July– Isabella Lombard
Choisaanada etched his name in history earlier this month, by being the first-ever winner of the Highveld Winter Series for 3-year-old horses. It was a dream come true when he stormed home to victory and sealed the deal in the last leg of the series in the 4Racing Sea Cottage Stakes Gr3, awarding the winning connections the R500 000 bonus. The Racehorse Owners Association is thrilled to present Isabella Lombard, who part-owns this special gelding, as our Owner of the Month in the July edition of ROA Today.
Sharing this special moment with her life partner, Willie de Koker, Isabella describes the experience as being “absolutely blown away”. After winning the first leg, the Betway Secretariat Stakes (NBT) under Gavin Lerena, trainer Erico Verdonese had doubts on whether the gelding was able to run over the mile however, after his convincing win in the second leg, the Egoli Mile (NBT), Isabella and Willie insisted that the horse contended in the Sea Cottage Stakes Gr3 which was the third and final leg. Callan Murray piloted the son of Querari for the last two legs and was ultimately victorious. Isabella was beaming with pride when Choisaanada defeated three accomplished horses over the course of the series, this included Immediate Edge who won the Jubilee Stakes Gr3, Confederate who has won the SA Classic Gr1, as well as 2025 Highveld Horse of the Season, Fire Attack. Her heartfelt congratulations go out to both Gavin and Callan, and of course to Erico and his entire stable. Their efforts led to a historic moment by winning the Winter Series for the very first time.
Having entered the sport in 2017 alongside Willie, who had been involved in racing during the early 90s, Isabella has enjoyed the thrills and camaraderie that come with being an owner. Though she has scaled down over the years, she remains actively involved in two partnerships: Fire n Flames with Willie, trained by Kobus Roux, and Choisaanada with Brian Jossel, trained by Erico. Previously, she has also had horses trained by David Nieuwenhuizen and Duncan McKenzie.
Racing is not just about winning, it’s about the full race day experience. Isabella loves spending time at the racecourse with friends and family, who, while not directly involved in ownership, are always cheering her on. Among her most cherished memories is the day Dakota Cat won her first race in Isabella’s colours, alongside the excitement of her first graded win in the Sea Cottage Stake.
Reflecting on the growth of South African racing, Isabella believes that engaging the younger generation and improving stake money are key to driving the industry forward. Her recent triumph with Choisaanada is not just a personal highlight, but a reminder of the magic that happens when belief, partnership, and perseverance come together.
Isabella has been a Member of the ROA since 2003 and expressed gratitude for the added bonus stakes on the selected maiden races.
We thank Isabella and Willie for their continued support and wish them and their horses many more history-making moments.
