Life Member of the Month – December – Colin Gordon
The Racehorse Owners Association is proud to feature Colin Gordon as our Life Member in the December edition of ROA Today! His passion for the sport is palpable, and we are thrilled to have caught up with him as we round off what has been an exceptional year of racing.
Colin’s introduction to the racing industry came while he was a student at Wits, thanks to a good friend, Clint Larsson, who “led him astray” one afternoon with a visit to Turffontein, also known as the “Big T”. Armed with his monthly pocket money, Colin backed a horse called Fluent Stride, ridden by a young and exceptionally talented Weichong Marwing for the legendary Ormond Ferraris. After looking in trouble during the race, Weichong switched the whip, and Fluent Stride stormed home to win going away. Colin recalls being in “hot pursuit” thereafter, completely addicted to the thrill of racing from that day forward.
Raised in Tzaneen, Colin’s love for the sport continued to grow, and over the years he has made countless memories. Among his favourite racing moments is watching the careers of exceptional horses such as Empress Club and Horse Chestnut. One day that stands out above many others is when Empress Club defeated Secret Rites on her way to establishing herself as the galloping goldmine.
Colin has been fortunate to enjoy ownership of a number of high-quality racehorses, experiencing both the inevitable highs and lows that ownership brings. Midnight Serenade and Divine Odyssey both achieved Group 1 placings, while Senor Senna proved another capable performer. Among his fillies and mares, Colin raced Samba Serenade, Sapphire Ring and Green Top in partnership with the late Peter White. One moment remains particularly vivid, as Green Top came so close to winning the SA Fillies Classic (Gr 1) in 2018, with Peter already heading down to the parade ring to lead her in, only for Colin to have to break the heartbreaking news that Takingthepeace had caught her in the final stride.
As someone who typically races in partnerships, Colin’s training associations have been wide-ranging, reflecting both the diversity and depth of South African racing. Over the years he has raced horses with an impressive list of trainers, including Alec Laird, Mike de Kock, Paul Peter, Joe Soma, Dianne Stenger, Johan Janse van Vuuren, St John Gray, Dean Maroun, George Scott, Michael Azzie, Paul Matchett, John Buckler, Geoff Woodruff, Ash Fortune, Sean Tarry, Alan Greeff, Therese Mitchley, Mark Dixon, Glen Kotzen, the late Peter Miller, his son Sean – and, as Colin jokingly adds, his cousin Cliffie.
Reflecting on his 25 years with the Racehorse Owners Association, Colin highlights the vital role the ROA has played in protecting and advancing owner interests, particularly through its innovative stakes add-on initiatives, which have added tangible value for owners over the years.
Outside of racing, Colin enjoys most live sport and is a self-confessed long-suffering Wolves supporter.
When asked what the industry needs to do to reach greater heights, Colin’s response is simple yet powerful. If you don’t truly love the sport, he questions why you are in it at all. He believes the industry must do a better job of communicating that passion to outsiders, sharing what makes racing so compelling and special.
We would like to thank Colin for his longstanding support to the racing industry and to the ROA. We wish him many successes and a wonderful year ahead!
