Life Member of the Month – December – Cliffie Miller
Life Members of the Racehorse Owners Association serve as a testament to the long-standing and unwavering support of individuals who have supported the ROA for more than 25 years. Their stories, that provide rich history and insight into the industry over the years, continue to be inspirational, showcasing their love and passion for the sport over the decades. We are honored to present trainer and owner, Cliffie Miller, as our Life Member of the Month for December.
Cliffie was born in 1957 in a small mining town called Jagersfontein in the Free State. His family then moved to Kimberley at the age of seven and the capital of the Northern Cape became central to his life and his career. Despite not coming from a horseracing background, Cliffie’s passion for the sport ignited when he purchased his first horse, Gleamin, from the late Mr Basel Benjamin for the handsome price of R750. The Griqualand West Gymkhana Club did not require them to have a license, and Cliffie trained this horse who went on to win five races for him.
Cliffe’s involvement in the Griqualand West Gymkhana Club marked the beginning of a journey that would see him deeply rooted in the racing scene and he was granted his training license in 1984. This club later transformed into the Griqualand West Racing Club, which eventually became the Flamingo Park Racecourse. Flamingo Park became a home for Cliffie and his life partner, Heather Reddie, who has been by his side for an incredible 46 years. Heather, herself a Life Member featured in August 2023, has been Cliffie’s rock, and he fondly remarks that he “cannot do without her”. His dedication and skill earned him the title of Northern Cape Champion Trainer a remarkable ten times at Flamingo Park. When this racecourse closed its doors, Cliffie relocated to Gqeberha, where he continues to train horses at Fairview Racecourse.
Having many fond memories of his journey as an owner and trainer, Cliffie recalls winning quite a few Sailor Malan 1600m Handicap races, which was later known as the Racing Association 1600. He also reminisces winning the Emerald Fillies Handicap at the Vaal Racecourse in 2009 with Grandelea (Parade Leader (USA) x Full Card), who he described as a very smart filly guided by Donovan Habib. Cliffie and Donovan were a competitive team back in the day. Dogy Itie also provided Cliffie with two wins in the R200 000 RA Flamingo Mile in August of 2017 and 2018 respectively. This son of Latino Magic (IRE) was owned and trained by Cliffie and was ridden by Marco van Rensburg who currently rides for Cliffie at Fairview, they have had a long-standing working relationship spanning 23 years.
Horses owned by Cliffie include Timkat, Eastern Eagle, Zezinho Belo and Martini’s Way. More recent horses who are special to Cliffie’s career include Greenlighttoheaven, Play Act, Roll Of The Dice, Bethel, Zig Zag, Mon Tresor who won three on a trot and Naval Secret who won the Nelson Mandela Bay Racing Poly Challenge on the 26th of August 2022 for owner Suzette Viljoen.
Cliffie strongly believes in the importance of organisations like the Racehorse Owners Association, which safeguard the interests of owners and provide vital incentives for the sport. Outside of racing, Cliffie is an avid sports enthusiast. He enjoys soccer and Grand Prix racing and plays bowls whenever he gets the chance. When he’s not engaged in these activities, he treasures moments with friends at the braai,with a few cold beers.
We wish Cliffie, Heather and the entire racing yard a wonderful festive season and thank them for their long-standing support!
