The many-times East Cape champion trainer Gavin Smith was one of the most well-liked people in South Afrcan horseracing and this became especially apparent after the shock of his passing over the weekend had sunk in.
All who commented spoke about him being an absolute gentleman, who was always friendly and approachable and always had time for others and he was usually smiling and full of good humour.
Gavin’s father, Andy, was the son of a jockey and Gavin himself began workriding at the age of eleven.
He rode in amateur events but grew to big to make jockeyship a professional career.
Andy Smith was also one of the top East Cape trainers of his time and had a keen rivalry with Stanley Greeff, a rivalry that has continued into the next generation with their respective sons Gavin and Alan.
Gavin took over the training reins from his father in 1995 and inherited from him good clientele and good horses.
Since then he has attracted some good new clients.
“We have been lucky to have bought some very good horses for reasonable prices,” he said about 18 years ago.
He also gave a clue at that time why he had decided to stay put in Port Eizabeth and not move to a major centre, where he would no doubt have held his own.
He said, “PE racing is very competitive and good money is being made on the tote pools. These days a horse that wins in PE could win a race in Kwazulu Natal in the off-season. I am very settled in Port Elizabeth and am not considering moving but raiding is definitely an option.”
Gavin was easily approachable and welcoming to the press, even to the out of province press.
He was well known for his transparency and a good example came when he provided information for some Gold Circle publications for a meeting at Arlington on September 28, 2007, which was an unusual occurrence and might have happened due to a KZN meeting being rained out.
Here are the comments he provided with the results of the horses he mentioned then displayed in bold.
Race 1: “Caryl’s Pride and Saucy Model could fight it out. Dancalgreg is very well bred and is a very nice horse but has a lot of problems.” Caryl’s Pride 1st, Saucy Model 3rd, Dancalgreg 4th (10 horse field).
Race 2: “Martella is a very one paced sort and I’m trying something completely new with him to see if he stays. The headgear comes off and we will drop him off the pace. Mr. Beuarocrat was a cheap buy who is a very smart sort. Tara’s Hills, like Mr.Beuarocrat, has improved with blinkers, and is also a contender here. But Matinee Idol is the one to beat.” Matinee Idol 1st, Mr Beaurocrat 2nd, Tara’s Hills 8th, Martella 9th (11 horse field).
Race 3: “Classia loves this track and trip. His last run was below par, but Fairview has a long straight and he is better suited to a course like Arlington. Mangula has his first run for me so I don’t know much about him but he is making good progress.” Mangula 1st, Classia scratched (7 horse field)
Race 4: “Chou Choo Wooga will turn into a nice stayer and is a big runner here. Doblecito won well last time but faces a little stronger here.” Chou Choo Wooga 1st, Doblecito 5th (10 horse field).
Race 5: “Tacoma is a very nice filly who has no stamina doubts but he carries a lot of weight for a trip of this length. I am wary of Polzeath who just failed behind one of my horses, Maple Run, over 1800m on Monday.” Tacoma 1st, Polzeath 2nd (6 horse field).
Race 6: “Cast A Spell is very big runner. There is not much between him and Compleat Angler in work. Compleat Angler is enjoying herself on the coast but might find this trip a little sharp.” Cast A Spell 1st, Compleat Angler 3rd (7 horse field).
Race 7: “Classic Fashion didn’t run a bad race from a wide draw last week. From another wide draw he will be competitive and can run in the first four.” Classic Fashion 6th (14 horse field).
Race 8: “Di Maggio is very honest and is a good PA horse. Southern Spirit is a similar sort.” Di Maggio 2nd, Southern Spirit 4th (16 horse field)
The comments could hardly have been any more accurate!
Gavin was the East Cape champion trainer at the time of that interview, having had 150 wins the previous season.
He won the title 13 times in all.
The best horse he trained was probably Bold Silvano.
This Silvano colt was purchased for R300,00 and he was able to tell owner Gill Thomson he was “something special” soon after he had gone into training.
He soon fulfilled that prediction by winning easily on debut over 1100m at Fairview on 20 march, 2009, after being backed in to 16/10.
He followed by finishing runner up in both the Listed East Cape Nursery and Listed Dahlia Plate, both over 1200m at Fairview.
After being stepped up in trip he was unbeaten in three more starts in Port Elizabeth, winning the Gr 3 Champion Juvenile Cup over 1400m, the non-Black Type Racing Association Plate over 1400m and the Listed Racing Association Stakes.
He then went for a campaign in Cape Town and later Gill Thompson decied to send him to Mike de Kock for the Champions Season.
Thereafter she received an offer for a share in the horse from de Kock’s chief client Sheik Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum that she “could not refuse”, and the horse famously went on to win the Gr 1 Durban July and the Gr 2 Maktoum Challenge in Dubai.
Gavin had one July runner himself, Shoes Of Silver, who finished tenth in 2004.
Gavin’s latest East Championship wins were in 2021/2022 with 134 wins and in 2022/2023 with 126 wins.
Gavin had multiple winners at many a meeting, but none better than his seven wins in the nine races of the 2022 Algoa Cup meeting. the East Cape’s traditional biggest meeting.
Gavin leaves the stable in good hands with his son Dean.
Turf Talk personnel extend their condolences to the Smith family.
Mike Moon of the Citizen also wrote a tribute to Gavin.
