Determined Muzi will give rival jocks the 'ghetto' treatment if they mess with him! Muzi Yeni has his eye on the ball! MUZI Yeni, South Africa’s most successful black jockey, will be riding Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum’s grey gelding Happy Valley in the Durban July on Saturday. Muzi is only two winners short of 100 for the 2009/10 racing season.  He is in seventh place on the National log in the company of world class jockeys like Anton Marcus, Piere Strydom, Felix Coetzee and Anthony Delpech. The 23-year-old rider’s mounts have earned over R6 million in stakes, from which he draws a set percentage plus riding fees. The figures show that Muzi has already achieved his goal of ‘’making good money” this season and he comments: “At the start of this season last August I didn’t set a goal for winners. All I wanted was to make a good income. It’s been a great year and I’m close to 100 winners, but with only two meetings left I might not get there!” If he doesn’t make it, Muzi says, he will set a target of 150 winners for next season. ``Maybe that’s too high, but when you aim high things start to happen. I won’t feel sad or give up. I will stay positive and go back to try again.” Muzi is small even as jockeys go and he weighs under 50kg, but his colleagues respect him for being a clever and competitive rider who always tries his best. Despite his size he is not scared to take on the more experienced jockeys in a race. Muzi explains that he is much tougher than he looks: ``In racing there is no room for mistakes and I don’t stand back for anyone. I race to win. I grew up in Claremont, Durban. It’s a poor area where you become a man quickly, which has helped met to cope with pressure. He jokes:  ``I come from the ghetto, so I can be a gangster if I want to. I know all the moves. I won’t allow myself to be bullied!” Muzi had his first ride in the Durban July in 2009 when he finished in fourth place on the 70-1 outsider Thundering Jet for trainer Mike Bass. ``It was a great experience to be introduced to the crowd at Greyville and to ride in the race in front of so many people,’’ he tells. He says about this year’s mount: ``I’ve been working with Happy Valley over the last few weeks, He’s improved every day. He’s a far better horse since Mr De Kock had him gelded. He is more relaxed now and we get on well. He is an easy horse to ride because he does what I ask him to do. We have a game plan which I won’t talk about, but being drawn 14 it will be my job to get Happy Valley to beat the draw. He can do it, he is a versatile horse.” Muzi believes he can improve on his fourth place last year. ``On his work Happy Valley has a chance to make the first three, he has a low weight and he is very fit. I will be riding for my life!” The new season starts on Monday, 1 August and it will an exciting time for the young rider. Muzi has been chosen to represent South Africa in a contest for international jockeys in Korea on 21 and 22 August. He will receive two business class flight tickets and US$2000 for each of four rides during the competition.