Life Member of the Month – February – Alick Costa
It is always a pleasure to catch up with longstanding members of the Racehorse Owners Association. This month, we are delighted to present Alick Costa as our Life Member as we honour his commitment to the industry over the years.
Born and raised in the village of Hendrina, now part of Mpumalanga, Alick did not come from a racing family. His journey into the racing world began through friendship. The late Eugene and Norman Sanan introduced him to the industry, their father having been a trainer in Durban, and both brothers becoming racing personalities in their own right.
Alick was attracted to racing as it provides great recreational entertainment from the challenge and excitement created by the alchemy of the athleticism of the racehorse and the lure of a wager. When asked about his favourite racing memory, Alick admits it is difficult to single out just one. However, the race that stands above the rest is the 1967 Rothmans Durban July Handicap, where the legendary Sea Cottage, conceding 10 kilograms, dead heated with Jollify. It was a moment of drama and sporting brilliance and, as Alick humorously notes, perhaps a giveaway of his age.
Over approximately 50 years, Alick was a minor partner in numerous horses. While he describes himself as an unsuccessful racehorse owner, he remained passionate about the sport. Racing, for him, was never solely about winning, it was about shared experiences, friendships, and the ability to celebrate victories and accept losses with equanimity.
Among the horses he was involved with, Sand stands out as the most accomplished, having competed in the Durban July Handicap, although finishing unplaced. Several other capable horses, including Cycad, brought enjoyment and lasting memories. Throughout the years, Alick’s horses were trained by respected names including Ricky Maingard, Mike de Kock, and Michael Azzie.
Alick’s contribution to racing extends beyond ownership. He became a member as a local executive of the Jockey Club in the mid 1980’s and on 30 March 2001, he was elected as Chairman of the Jockey Club of Southern Africa (as it was then known). During the final Annual General Meeting in January 2004 at which he acted as Chairman, several significant resolutions were passed, including amendments to the Constitution and the landmark decision to change the organization’s name to the National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa. It was, in his words, a challenging but very exciting period in his life. In subsequent years, Alick served as a member of the Inquiry Review Board, further contributing his legal expertise and measured judgment to the governance of the sport. Today, he continues his involvement as an “honorary turf consultant” and remains active as a punter, “like an altar boy,” he says with characteristic wit ensuring that his passion for racing remains as strong as ever.
Being a member of the ROA for 29 years, Alick highlights the Association’s commitment to acting in the best interests of racehorse owners, racehorses and the broader racing industry, upholding integrity and justice in the sport.
Outside of racing, Alick has a keen interest in geo-economic and political affairs, enjoys forecasting market outcomes, investing in the stock market, and is an avid reader of biographies and historical novels. He also takes an interest in rugby, cricket, and tennis. Alick practiced as an attorney for over five decades before retiring in February 2014. Since then, he has been enjoying what he warmly describes as his “autumnal and now winter years.”
Looking to the future of racing, Alick believes the racing industry must continue striving for strong, experienced, and talented leadership across all stakeholder groups. He emphasises the importance of unity and collective action in the best interests of the sport, rather than self-interest, after all we are in the same boat. Above all, he stresses the ongoing need to protect and maintain the integrity of racing. He acknowledges the significant progress already made in restoring the financial health in the sport, particularly within the breeding sector, noting that One Stripe has helped place South Africa firmly on the international racing map.
We thank Alick for his longstanding support to the industry and the ROA and wish him many more years of enjoying this wonderful sport.
