Life Member of the Month – November – Craig Clucas
The Racehorse Owners Association is delighted to feature Craig Clucas as our Life Member of the Month this November. Craig’s father, Peter Clucas, is also a Life Member of the ROA, and we are pleased to celebrate the generational long-standing support of the Clucas Family.
Craig’s introduction to the sport began at the age of fourteen, guided by his father Peter and his step-grandfather, Blue Schwarer, who was a steward at Turffontein for many years. Born and raised in Johannesburg, Craig completed his schooling in KwaZulu-Natal before obtaining a BCom degree from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Over the years, Craig has enjoyed numerous memorable moments on the racecourse. Among the standout highlights was celebrating three winners on Vodacom Durban July day in 2002, this included Proud Classic winning the Darley Arabian Fillies, Shadow Hawk claiming the Durban July Consolation and Hail Ceasour winning the C Division Handicap, all trained by Alec Laird. The excitement continued when as they secured a fifth place in the main race with American Badger who ran just 0.35 lengths behind Ipi Tombe in a sensational finish. Another special memory was American Badger’s courageous second in the Daily News in 2001, ridden by the legendary Douglas Whyte, who said: “If this is how you celebrate when you come second, I’d love to see how you behave when you win.” More recently, Craig recalls the immense pride of watching his close friend Laurence Wernars capture the 2022 Betway Summer Cup with Puerto Manzano (ARG).
Craig’s ownership journey began when his father sold him a modest 5% stake in his first two horses, Mathematic and Look Hard, trained by H.W. Brown. This initial involvement soon expanded through partnerships with Luke Bailes, Clifford Elphick and Iain Catterall, with horses under the care of Tony Millard and the best among them being Dancing Lord. His association with Iain Catterall later led to the ownership of Northern Streaker who was conditioned by Erico Verdonese.
When Tony Millard relocated to Hong Kong, Craig became part of a dynamic ownership group that included Iain Catterall, Mark Currie, Graham Hope, Gav Chamberlain and Chris Gerber. Together, they enjoyed considerable success with Alec Laird. His most recent horse, Goede Hoop, was raced in partnership with Larry Nestadt and JJ van der Linden, trained by Robbie Sage. Craig also expresses gratitude as he is able to share special moments and lead-ins with Laurence, adding to the excitement on racedays.
A member of the ROA for 25 years, Craig values the Association’s ongoing efforts to keep owners informed and to implement initiatives that contribute positively to the racing industry.
Outside of racing, Craig enjoys travelling, fishing, spending time in the bush, and a regular Thursday round of golf with friends. He is married to Jackie and is the proud father of three children and grandfather to three grandchildren.
When thinking about the future of racing, Craig notes that the horseracing industry is a massive employer of people in this country. He believes that the industry must leverage every available resource to ensure the settlement of outstanding tax owed by Government and establish a formalized, monthly betting tax on Fixed Odds betting, which is essential to securing the sustainability of racing in the province. He stresses the need for improved stakes, noting that current economics place strain on owners, and acknowledges the many passionate individuals currently keeping the industry afloat.
Following a successful career in Investment Banking, Craig now consults to the privately owned investment group African Alliance, and is involved in ClucasGray Ltd, a boutique asset manager. He also participates in Kirkham Capital, a seed investor for offshore hedge funds, alongside several private investments.
We thank Craig and the Clucas family for their continued support and wish them many more wonderful racing memories to come.
