"LEGEND". NO OTHER WAY OF DESCRIBING GRAHAM BECK

Mick and Cheryl Goss with Graham Beck and Laurie Jaffee in Dubai
(Photo : Summerhill Archives)

GRAHAM BECK
1929 - 2010

Mick Goss
Summerhill StudThe word “legend” is a much abused word in racing, or anywhere else for that matter. But in Graham Beck, here was the real life embodiment of the coinage.

What else can one say about a man whose passing has made all of the national news headlines, that hasn’t already been said. Descriptions that race to mind are “bigger than life”; overt generosity; an infectious, guttural sense of humour; a streetwiseness of uncanny proportions, and an enormous capacity for making others feel warm, wanted and, critically, worthy.

South African racing in general and the Jewry of Johannesburg in particular were once blessed with the “Three Musketeers”, Graham Beck, Cyril Hurwitz and Laurie Jaffee, now all passed on, and presumably, in the Elysian Fields. We say “presumably”, because they could at times be wickedly naughty, all three of them, and we’re not quite sure what the test is for entry to this apparent paradise. What we do know though, is that whatever the verdict on the first to go, (Cyril), it would’ve been the same for the other two, so the one assurance we do have is that they’re now together, and they’re probably looking down on us wondering whether we’ll see their like again. For my money, that’s c’est non possible. And you’d have to ask yourself, whether the makers of J&B have a factory big enough up there.

How do we place this man into perspective? In racing terms, he was a colossus, one of the greatest and most benevolent owners the game has ever known. Three things stand out for me in particular, not that they were necessarily, by any stretch, momentous in his life. The first involved the purchase of my first filly off the track from Graham, in a private transaction in his office. Given his stature and my own relative insignificance at 27, he couldn’t have been more accommodating, in what could’ve been frighteningly intimidating.

The second involved his purchase of Gainesway Farm. I happened to be representing the TBA on a trip to Kentucky, when I attended the Breeders Cup meeting. Just the day before, I made the acquaintance of a fellow solicitor, a Mr. Bishop who was counsel to one of the two greatest stallion stations in the world, Claiborne Farm; the grapevine, he said, was that a South African had purchased Gainesway, the other of the two great stallion stations. This was astounding news given that it was 1989, and that no South African had ever made such a splash in the bloodstock world.

The following day, Graham asked me to join him at his table at the Breeders Cup itself, there beside us was the founder, John Gaines himself, as cultured and intelligent a man as I’ve had the pleasure to know in racing. In that instant, Graham Beck had acquired the gigantic likes of Lyphard, Blushing Groom, Riverman, Vaguely Noble, Irish River etc, some of the noblest names of all thoroughbred breeding, and South Africa had “arrived”.

Henceforth, and for some time, Graham Beck would be Kentucky’s most favoured dinner guest, and his legacy at Gainesway today is one of the most beautiful farms on the planet. As a farmer myself, I should use this moment to applaud his stewardship of the land. That is his, and his lovely lady, Rhona’s signature, wherever they have invested.

The third instant reflected his own international standing in the thoroughbred world. I was in Dubai for the inaugural World Cup, and I received a distressed message from Graham’s office in Johannesburg, enquiring whether I could intervene in getting his private aircraft which was already in flight into Dubai. His sin was that he was Jewish himself, and that his aircraft had been to Israel on its journey to Dubai. Given the difficulties Israel and its Middle Eastern neighbours have experienced over the decades, aircraft emanating from there were not always welcome.

There was no one bigger in the thoroughbred world at that time than Sheikh Mohammed, and there was no-one more capable of influencing events in the Middle East than him. Within an hour, the big plane was not only welcome, but Sheikh Mohammed attended personally at the airport to fetch Graham.

In every material respect, Graham Beck was an enormous man, big in personality, big in generosity, massive in his contributions to our game, and in the lives he touched. At Summerhill, his Highlands Farm was our biggest competitor, and no-one competed “better” than he did.

Rest in peace, old pal. Your life has been hectic, and you deserve it.

LONDON NEWS : PASSING OF A WARRIOR

London News
(Photo : Freeman Stallions)

LONDON NEWS

It wouldn’t be overstating things that London News record-breaking victory in Hong Kong’s Queen Elizabeth II Stakes (Gr.1) in 1997, was as big an event for South African racegoers, as the Springboks’ World Cup victory was in 1995.

As a five-time Group One winner, he gave weight and draw to the whole field, and while it would be overdoing things to say he beat “the world” on that historic day, that he broke the Sha Tin track record and had some serious performers in his wake, is no exaggeration.

As we remember one of South Africa’s gamest racehorses, lamenting his passing reminds us that this was no one-race-wonder. The Classic at Turffontein, the Daily News 2000 and the July at Greyville, and an astonishing performance in the J&B Met are all part this man’s C.V. Yet it was that day at Sha Tin that sticks in the mind.

He was the first “South African” to win abroad in the post-political era, and he was the first to win at anything like this level in the East. But those who lived through the political turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s, will know what events like this brought in the way of relief, and especially the recognition among local horsemen, that we could do it. It’s probably not beyond the realms of possibility, that it was this one performance that stimulated the likes of Mike de Kock to try their hands so in foreign climes in the years that followed. That’s another story, and it’s now so long, it demands a tome.

As much as anything, London News’ big day in Hong Kong was a tribute to the enterprise and sportsmanship of Laurie and Jean Jaffee, and the sad events of Monday which saw this great warrior laid to rest, brings to an end a spectacular chapter in the lives of three great South Africans.

LAURIE JAFFEE : Tributes pour in

Laurie Jaffee and Weichong MarwingMr. Jaffee was a true inspiration for us all. He called me shortly after I was appointed with this post and said: “Son, the game will go on, with or without us, but while we here, let’s make it better for everyone.” These are words that will stay with me forever. I want to thank him for everything that he gave the industry and we already miss him here at the offices of the RA. On behalf of the Directors, staff and members of the Racing Association, our deepest sympathy to Mrs Jaffee and family.

Clyde Basel, CEO, Racing Association

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He was a true gentleman and a stalwart of the game. Replacing great men of his ilk is virtually impossible and it can be said that he represented everything that is good in our industry. A sad day for all connected with the sport and we extend our sincerest condolences to Jean and their entire family.”

Gold Circle CEO Michel Nairac

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A truly great icon has been lost, boots that can never be filled, but we have been privileged to have known and shared a moment with this true gentleman and sportsman at some time or other. Mr Jaffee I will always remember you for your wisdom and commitment to our industry, a man that was a true asset to racing as well as life. Rest in peace sir. My deepest condolences to Mrs. Jaffee and family.

Michael Azzie

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I first met Mr Jaffee when I was about 18 years old and what impressed me most about this colossus of a man was his humility despite his success in three separate walks of life namely, racing,business and as a man of the utmost integrity. That didn’t mean that he didn’t know how to drive a hard bargain and I often recite the following incident with fondness: Mr Jaffee would call to have a bet and after exchanging pleasantries for a few seconds would ask what the spread was on the SA vs. Aus game that weekend.I would say they are betting 9/10 the pair SA +7 Aus -7.He would immediately and without hesitation say that his mate in Aus would give him even money and + 8 SA. The thing is that Mr Jaffee wasn’t interested in the money but more in the negotiating the price,that gave him far more satisfaction than winning the bet, so inevitably he always got the price he wanted. He was a character,a gentleman and above all a true sportsman which I will sorely miss and so will racing. Our sincere condolences to Mrs Jaffee and the family.

Ps. True to his character he never backed against SA no matter how poorly we performed!

Derick Brugman and family

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Mr Laurie Jaffee will be sadly missed by each and every person in the racing industry. - Ronnie Hamilton Dear Clyde, As you say he was a wonderful man and his zest for life and interest in racing was immense. He was very happy with the changes you and your team have introduced at Turffontein. The last time he raced at Turffontein was a very happy day for him and he was pleased that you came and chatted to him. Keep up the good work.

Kindest regards Peter Jaeger

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It is with deep regret that we hear of the passing of a great man. An icon in the Horseracing Industry in South Africa and Internationally. A thorough gentleman with a charitable heart of gold. For many, many years Laurie and Jean have been fantastic supporters of Western Cape Racing and the Western Province Owners’ and Trainers’ Association.

We would like to touch on some of the memorable times in Racing with our dear friend Laurie: Laurie and Jean meet for the first time at the Savoy Hotel in London in 1955. They got married and headed to South Africa where Laurie had a business. The Horse Racing journey begins as an owner, breeder and administrator. The first time the famous racing silks were seen on the Racecourse in August 1959, on the horse Sir Isaac – Laurie and Jean’s Red, White and Black Diamonds. First Racehorse winner – Ladkin in June 1960. He became a Member of the Turffontein Racing Club in 1963, was elected Race Club Steward and Jockey Club Executive in 1973, became Chairman of Transvaal Racing Club and the Johannesburg Racing Club in 1982.

Many good horses passed under the ownership of Laurie and Jean Jaffee and their partnerships – to name a few: King’s Guard, Bush Telegraph, Statue of Liberty, Beyond the Pale, Lester’s Choice (named after Lester Pigott), King’s Rhapsody, Mrs Pankhurst, Hancock Park, White Tie Affair, Ton Up, Flirting Prince, Voodoo Charm, Arctic Cove, Petrava, Lord Randolph, Potomac, Mark Anthony, Castle Walk, Illustrador, Jallad, Faralmond, In Camera, Promtisimo, Hoeberg, Eventuail. THE GREATS: Empress Club and London News. A few years ago Laurie was named the first “Owner of the Year” in South Africa at the Equus Awards.

What more can anyone say about a great man who lived his passion to the fullest. Laurie will be sorely missed by all of us in Racing in South Africa and around the many famous racecourses of the world. “AND AWAY THEY GO.” Our sincere condolences go to Jean and the entire Jaffee family.

From: Rodney Dunn, the Committee, Members and Staff of the Western Province Owners’ and Trainers’ Association

Reference SA Horseracing.com

Desperate Days : The birth of the relationship with the Maktoum family and the foundation of the Equine Trade Council

As we approached the nineties, the then Finance Minister in the South African government, Barend du Plessis, contacted Mick Goss and asked whether he could convene a meeting of racing’s most influential personalities, as he had an important message to share with them. We didn’t know the Minister at that time, nor did we have much sympathy for the policies of his government, but if this was to be in the interests of South African racing, and indeed, those of us that made up its individual entities, any contact with government would be worthwhile. And so it was that a gathering of the likes of the late Harry Oppenheimer, Arnold Galombile, Laurie Jaffee, Graham Beck etc was convened together with those responsible for the administration and funding of racing, and the Minister duly shared his views with us.

Among the things he told us was that the country had suffered another blow in the withdrawal of the last of its international borrowing facilities in the United States, and apart from what remained in the way of access to foreign funding in the UK and Europe, the country was on a “cash” basis, meaning it was technically bankrupt. The Minister warned of the toughest times ahead, and suggested that racing, which was an important factor in the finances of the fiscus, should reposition itself as far as it could in order to maintain its viability, and of course, its all-important contribution to the nation’s taxes.

For us the alarm bells rang as loudly as you could imagine, as we were among the few dedicated horse breeding operations in the country, with no belts or braces, insofar as we had no another business to provide us with reserve funding. Around the table that day were some of the most eminent breeders of the era, yet they had behind them diamond mines, milling empires, coal mines, chocolate factories, shoe manufacturing businesses, game reserves etc, and we had nothing but our connectivity with our horses to cling to.

If the bottom fell out of our world, it would be like the world falling out of our bottom, and there would be very little place to hide. Remember, we were operating at the top end of the luxury goods market, and while people might still be able to invest in an antique or an artwork for what it cost, that was a mere deposit on a racehorse. We realized that if discretionary income in this country was to shrink to the levels the Minister was suggesting, we could be in dire straits.

There is an old saying that necessity is the mother of invention, yet in our case it’s most times been a question of desperation, rather than bare necessity. There were at least 20 farms of the ilk of Summerhill at the time, and to illustrate the extent of the fallout, we should recall that the ravages accounted for all but five or six of these in the aftermath of one of the most testing economic times in the nation’s history.

Summerhill’s response was a quick call to the Chairman of the TBA, and the outcome was a delegation to Europe with the intention of meeting with the leading owners and personalities in English racing. One hundred and fifty people were invited to attend a reception at the Jockey Club rooms at racing’s headquarters in Newmarket. In the event, the timing could not have been better. Michael Roberts, our Champion jockey, had just taught the English how to ride, and there was great anticipation around the possible release of Nelson Mandela. Two hundred and fifty people turned up.

In his address, Mick Goss reminded the gathering of the sacrifice of millions of South African lives in the Empire’s cause, and that 600 000 horses had left our shores in support of King and country, never to return. We needed help, and we knew we could call on our friends in England.

Besides, the Rand had gotten out of bed against the Pound and was trading at 8-1 (now 14-1!). The result was a saving on the cost of keeping two horses in training in England against two in South Africa, of close to R500 000, (we speak of the saving alone,) which at that time would purchase a man and his wife a Club class return ticket, accommodation at Hartford House for nine months, a hire care and a periodic game of golf, and a return to England to consult the stockbroker, attend the test at Lords, the tennis at Wimbledon and the English Derby, and return to South Africa, with change in one’s pocket! It was all too irresistible.

The next morning Mick received calls from Sheikh Maktoum’s advisor Michael Goodbody, meetings were hastily convened, and the rest is history. They’ve been with us 18 years. Not long after, our old mate Angus Gold, adviser to Sheikh Hamdan, called with the same purpose, and they’ve been with us 18 years. This was really a case of help yourself.

Today, more than 400 of the horses on Summerhill have foreigners among their owners, and these people stretch across seven international time zones. There is probably no greater concentration of foreign owners on any one farm anywhere in the world, and it goes to show what you can do with will and a way.

Posted by Mick Goss

Dubai News 2

FROM OUR DUBAI CORRESPONDENT

The excitement in the lead up to the Dubai World Cup Meeting on Saturday 31st March has to be seen to be believed. Whilst it doesn’t stand alone as the World’s biggest meeting, it ranks as its most cosmopolitan. There are top class horses from almost every corner of the racing globe including all of the Americas, Britain, Ireland and Europe, Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and of course, South Africa. It follows that the meeting is packed with people representing all these nations, and with something approaching US$25 million on offer in the form of prize money, it certainly ranks as the richest turf event in history.

Betting of course is non-existent in Muslim countries, so the whole show is all about horses, and that makes it unique once again. Everybody is here out of love and admiration for this great game we’re engaged in, and for the animals that make it tick. For the entire week we will be around some of the best horses in the world, and while most racing fans will have some kind of understanding of what we’re reporting, you’ll never really know what it means until you’ve experienced it.

Mullins Bay on his way to his first Group success at YorkThe action started with the post-position draws for the meeting, and we were all disappointed with Mullins Bay’s no. 14 slot. Of course, he has terrific tactical speed, and he should be able to get away on terms, though he will now have to race wide to be up with the pace. Sand is not his preferred surface (The Godolphin mile is on sand) but racing wide will at least mean less “kick-back” in the way of sand. At least we have Weichong Marwing in the saddle, and as one of the best practitioners of art in the world, he’s bound to give him his best shot, even in these circumstances. One things for sure, and that is a stiff pace will suit him, as he is one of those who keeps on finding, and he won’t be short of stamina when the others are stopping, assuming Mike de Kock has him near the top of his game. We know he’s not had the best of preps, but he has a natural fitness, and at a mile, he “could run fresh”. Anyway you have to believe these things if you’re an optimist, and we’ll keep on kidding ourselves up to the race. Don’t forget, his last five starts have yielded a first, a first and three consecutive seconds.

Thursday morning is an auspicious occasion, as the Who’s Who gather at Nad Al Sheba racecourse for what is billed as the “Breakfast with the Stars”. Everyone of the many hundreds of dignitaries gathered in Dubai will be there to meet the jockeys, trainers and owners, and of course the various racing and media personalities from around the globe. Each year the television presenters choose a panel of people to provide their views and expectations for the event, and as was the case two years ago, Mick Goss has been invited once again to participate. The Tellytrack team will be in attendance as well, and there is every possibility these proceedings will be relayed back to South Africa on the Monday evening programme following the World Cup itself, so we’ll see how good these “experts” really are!

That evening our team will be slogging their way to the desert for the great barbeque, (it’s really tough in this part of the world like Africa). This is one of the world’s great party legends. Traditionally the desert is transformed into a great “Sheikhdom” of a tented laager, and nothing, but nothing is spared in the way of food, entertainment and the best of champagnes, wines and everything else the world has to offer. A great number of Summerhill’s most enduring relationships have been formed at this event, and with such a strong presence this year, we’re hoping to bring home a few new friends. Stick with us: we’ll keep you posted.

Before we leave you though, we’re reminded of the inaugural desert braai way back in 1996, when the great South African horsemen, Graham Beck and Laurie Jaffee were invited to take a camel ride by Sheikh Mohammed. Graham Beck might be a great wine maker, but he’s no jockey, I promise! Laurie Jaffee, a Summerhill customer since the gates opened, is no Pierre Strydom either.