Horse racing industry mourns the passing of Hymie Maisels

JACK MILNER

The race was part of the partnering arrangement between South African and Malaysian racing which Maisels had played a major role in establishing some years ago.

Numerous tributes to the man, who was heavily involved in the breeding industry in the country and in the administration of racing in the Western Cape, have poured in since the news became public. He is survived by his wife Joan and children.

Maisels was the owner of the Hyjo Stud (taken from the first two letters of his and Joan’s names) in the Cape where he bred many top horses including Past Master, who won the Met in 2011.

He was responsible some years back for selling the first South African-bred horse, Money Market, to race in Malaysia and the horse went on to win that country’s richest race at the time, the R3 million Cunku Gold Cup.

Maisels played a leading role in trying to establish a protocol between the two countries that would allow South African horses to be sold to Malaysia which would have given a major boost to this country’s breeding industry, but through the lack of government support the protocol was never concluded.

Maisels was chairman of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association (TBA) for many years and also of the Western Province Racing Club, playing a major role in the amalgamation of Western Cape Racing with Gold Circle in 2000.

He served as a board member of Gold Circle and was the first chairman of the Western Cape Chapter of Gold Circle. He had also worked tirelessly while in the TBA to open the South African market to the racing world at large.

His fascination for horses and racing stemmed from seeing hansom cabs carrying passengers to the races past the family home in Kenilworth, when he was a child.

As an owner he was one of the first to support trainer Stan Elley. “I’d just started and been going a year or so when Hymie arrived. He was very good to me and gave me some well-bred fillies. We had a lot of luck together and he helped put me on the map,” said Elley.

“His business was called Display Models. They made all those dummies in shop windows, chrome racks – anything for those types of shops. I think he ploughed most of it back into racing. 

“His wife, Joan, was a lovely lady and they had three daughters, including Lerisse who is now married to Kenilworth Racing director, Vidrik Thurling.”

In an interview with Racing Southern Africa some time ago, Maisels said: “Rothschild’s quote exemplifies everything that attracts me to the sport. ‘Racing is competition in its purest form, so simple and direct that its fascination is irresistible and before one knows it one identifies oneself with one’s horse.’

“That electrifying connection between owner and horse makes it difficult to imagine any other sport offering the same level of excitement. I remember walking on air when I had my first winner. Very few experiences have left me with that same feeling.”