Life Member of the Month – March – Mark Currie
The Racehorse Owners Association is honored to feature Mark Currie as our Life Member of the Month in the March edition of ROA Today.
Mark’s journey into horseracing is an intriguing one, he does not come from a racing family and grew up quite the contrary, as his father had encouraged them to stay away from the sport, due to his grandfather’s struggles with gambling. However, fate had other plans and during his articles, a colleague introduced him to bookmaker Mickey Nash, who needed an extra hand. Mark took up the opportunity and was immediately captivated by the excitement of the racecourse, the different characters who were there, and the work of “penciling” as it was then known. From that moment on, his passion for horseracing took flight.
One of his early defining moments came when he met a very young Nigel Riley and acquired a 10% share in a horse named Llannerai. Despite being told the horse was just out for a run, Mark placed an each-way bet. To his delight, Llannerai won at astonishing odds of 100/1.This win marked the beginning of a thrilling adventure in racehorse ownership. Mark and Nigel shared ownership of several horses until Nigel transitioned to a legal career. Mark then joined a group of friends who raced with Alec Laird, enjoying the camaraderie of racing in partnerships. It was through these connections that he met Chris Gerber, with whom he shared a private box at the racecourse until Chris’s untimely passing.
Born and raised in Port Elizabeth, Mark grew up near the old Fairview Racecourse, which was later transformed into the suburb of Greenacres when he was about ten years old. Over the years, he has enjoyed remarkable success in racing, securing multiple Grade 1 victories despite a relatively modest investment. Among his most exhilarating wins was Lobo’s Legend who was triumphant in the SA Classic over 1800m on 7th April 2018 under Muzi Yeni who snuck up on the rail and rode them to sleep. Another was Tilbury Fort winning the Summer Cup, on 1st December 2018 in his personal racing silks.
Mark’s impressive roster of Grade 1 winners includes Malteme who was trained by Alec and won the Summer Cup in 2006, Potent Power who won the Tsogo Sun Medallion in 2012, Chestnuts And Pearls who won the Zulu Kingdom Explorer Golden Slipper in 2015, Tempting Fate was victorious in the Golden Horse Medallion in 2020 and Under Your Spell trained by Sean Tarry who won the Allan Robertson Championship in 2021. However, his two favorite horses remain Hail Caesour and Fortissima, both of whom showcased immense heart and determination on the track. Mark currently holds several shares in promising runners, including Legend Of Arthur who is carded to run in the Grade 1 TAB SA Derby on Champions Day at Turffontein this Saturday, Poplar Park who won the Ormond Ferraris Oaks Trial earlier this month, and Hodgepodge who has run consistently in KwaZulu-Natal.
Mark has been a Member of the Association for 31 years and enjoys that the ROA acts as a body to bring racehorse owners together. He served on the Board of the RA, its predecessor, for a number of years before chairing the Thoroughbred Horseracing Trust. Mark also acted as co-chair of Kenilworth Racing alongside Robert Bloomberg, and they developed a strong friendship. Mark and Chris Gerber were responsible for nominations going to the RA, he adds that this made them quite unpopular, as well as implementing a strategy to commit surplus funds to unit trusts. This strategy, which future directors followed, allowed the RA to play a meaningful role through Covid in supporting the industry.
Professionally, Mark has been with Investec for 32 years and currently serves as the Group Chief Risk Officer. He credits his time working at the racecourse for helping him discover his passion for odds, which ultimately led him to a career in banking as a trader utilizing those skills.
Outside of working and racing, Mark enjoys golf, cycling, collecting whiskey (predominantly Irish) and champagne. He is married to Louise, who shares his love for racing, though their two daughters have no interest in the sport. Mark attributes their lack of interest to the tumultuous period when he was involved with the Trust and Kenilworth Racing during the Phumelela crisis. He expresses deep gratitude to industry stalwarts such as Mary Slack, Greg Bortz and Owen Heffer for their efforts in revitalizing South African Racing.
A true sports enthusiast, Mark follows a wide range of sports and has attended some of the world’s most iconic events. His personal highlights include attending The Masters three times with a friend who introduced him to racing, witnessing two Rugby World Cup finals, experiencing Wimbledon semifinals, and recently watching Steph Curry, of the Golden State Warriors, destroy the LA Lakers.
Mark’s passion, dedication and contributions to racing are invaluable and we thank him for his longstanding support.
