Gold Circle Pty (Ltd)

Today's Racing :

Nic Claassen, 84, dies at PE home

VETERAN trainer Nic Claassen has died in Port Elizabeth after suffering a severe stroke on Monday. He was 84 years of age.
“Oom Nic’’, who turned 84 on 31 May, was found on the floor of his home on Monday morning and was immediately rushed to hospital. He was unable to speak and was paralysed on one side of his body.
Claassen, a former bookmaker, took out his trainers’ licence in the late 1970s and sent out a host of winners from his yard at the Vaal, where he entertained friends, colleagues and clients with his friendly demeanour, booming voice and sharp wit. Claassen and his erstwhile stable jockeys Cecil van As and Bill Harvey landed many traditional betting ‘coups’.
He saddled a host of winners from a string of average horses and trained the likes of Grade 1 winners Forest King and Forest Fantasy.
He relocated to Port Elizabeth in 1992 and became similarly popular in racing circles in the Windy City.
- Racingweb

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