Gavin delivering on promise for late Queensland owner

By Jordan Gerrans

The late John Southern always believed galloper Gavin would get better with time and his thoughts are finally being backed up. 

The 56-year-old Southern tragically passed away in a car accident in late March of this year near Maryborough in Queensland. 

The Sunshine State-based Southern was a racing tragic and had shares in horses with a number of trainers across Australia, including the stable of Jordan and Stephen Lee at Ballina. 

One of the last horses Southern raced before his death was a son of Lucas Cranach who he purchased online for just $7,500 after starting his career with premier Brisbane conditioner Tony Gollan.

That horse – Gavin – won the second race of his current preparation on Thursday at Murwillumbah as up-and-coming trainer Jordan Lee paid tribute to his former loyal stable client.

Jordan is only in the infancy of his own training career and says Southern’s backing in the early days helped spur on his own growing stable.

“He was a lovely bloke, loved his horses and bought this horse for me to train,” Jordan said of the late Southern. 

“He was my first client, as such, as a trainer. He always used to come down quite often and check out his horses.

“He would come to the races. It was terrible what happened to him, I used to speak to him on the phone for hours most days about his horses.

“It was very sad what happened to him, he was a nice country bloke who loved his horses.”

As Jordan notes, Southern was a regular on the phone chatting about his horses and the 25-year-old trainer tragically only found out about his stable client's death after he did not hear from him for a day or two. 

Southern’s passion for horses was mentioned prominently at his funeral service in April. 

"Regardless of whether we thought he was crazy or not, it was his obsession and he did it for his enjoyment," funeral director Leora Kirk said earlier this year.

The late Southern raced plenty of horses with the Lee camp including five-time career winner Byron Eyes, who is now retired, as well Showman who has won two races and been placed on 11 other occasions.

It was not just the Lees who the passionate Queensland owner supported when it came to racing horses.

He had gallopers with Ethan Ensby and Simon Zahra, among others, over the years. 

Gavin went to the races on four occasions for Gollan in Queensland without breaking through in middle-distance and staying maidens. 

The five-year-old was originally raced by Peachester Lodge before Southern purchased him online and syndicated him through Jordan’s friends and family on the Northern Rivers.

Southern thought that as Gavin was a son of Melbourne Cup-placegetter Lucas Cranach, he would just get better with age. 

His initial thoughts have come to fruition as the bay gelding broke his maiden status in June at Murwillumbah before winning the second event of his career at the same venue on Thursday.

“John thought with time, the horse would go well around this area of the Northern Rivers,” Jordan said.

“He had a soft spot for this horse. Being by Lucas Cranach, he thought he would be better with time – and he was right.

“With more time, the better he is. I wish John was here to see him race.

“He is no world-beater, Gavin, he is never going to be, but he is honest and that is what John was like as well – they are a bit the same. It was good to see him win on Thursday.” 

Stephen and Jordan Lee campaigned a team of horses to Central Queensland earlier this year.

Jordan prepared a winning treble on Thursday at Murwillumbah, which doubled as their local Cup meeting.

Sunshine Coast-based hoop Leah Martyn rode Gavin to victory on Thursday and says he is a horse that has upside. 

“Jordan and Stephen have both supported me a lot coming over the border,” Martyn said.

“It has been fantastic. Gavin hit a bit of a flat spot in the run before he hit the line strong.”

Jordan praised the job of Martyn’s on Gavin and described her as a strong rider for a two-kilogram claiming apprentice.

“It was a good win, he drew wide and it was a bit tricky,” the young trainer said.

“I know it was a small field but she did the right thing, she pushed on and parked him outside the leader and I thought he fought on well.

“He is not much to look at, the horse, but he is very honest. He is tough as nails.

“Tony Gollan did put him up over the further trip, 1890 metres at Toowoomba one time where he ran fourth when carrying 60kg.

“He was only beaten a few lengths on that day. It is just about finding the right races, but he is doing a good job.

“This bloke actually likes a bit of toe in the ground, which is nice, but we just need to find the right races for him.”