Life Member of the Month – October– Derek Michael

The Racehorse Owners Association remains committed to honouring Life Members each month. Their longstanding support and commitment to the sport of racing, and the Association, remain invaluable and this month we are thrilled to present Derek Michael as our Life Member of the Month for October.

Derek’s passion for racing first sparked during his university days when he worked part-time as a bookmaker’s clerk and from that moment, he was hooked. His fondest racing memory remains leading in his very first winner in his own colours, a moment that cemented his lifelong love for the sport.

Over the years, Derek has enjoyed racing several notable horses in partnership, including multiple Graded winner Gimme Five, Winning Leap, who captured the Grade 2 Gold Bowl in 2010, Nuclear Alert, and more recently The Specialist, who has made an inspiring return to training after overcoming an injury. His close friend of 40 years, Sean Tarry, has trained most of his horses, though he has also celebrated success with the Alexander stable.

Having been a proud member of the Racehorse Owners Association for more than 25 years, Derek values the ROA’s continued efforts to keep owners engaged through its various incentives and initiatives.

Outside of racing, Derek enjoys keeping active, playing golf and padel on a weekly basis. He also loves traveling, often combining his trips with live sporting events. Family plays an important role in Derek’s life. He and his wife have three sons, aged between 16 and 22. While they share only a limited interest in racing, they do enjoy the occasional visit to the stables.

Outside of racing, Derek has built a successful career spanning nearly four decades. For the past 25 years, he has been actively involved in the gaming industry in various roles, following a 12-year career as a stockbroker.

When asked about what the racing industry needs to strive for greater heights, Derek emphasizes the importance of uniformity across all stakeholders. He also believes that the sport must focus on attracting the younger generation by highlighting racing’s social and entertainment appeal and suggests that a new racetrack venue in Gauteng could provide the fresh energy and experience needed to draw new audiences to the sport.

We thank Derek for his continued support and wish him many more special racing memories!