The late Graham Beck – fondly remembered by Abe
Many people in horseracing may know him as Abe Beck. The long-serving chauffeur and ‘all-rounder’ to the late top owner and breeder Graham Beck spoke to us just prior to his departure from Cape Town on Christmas eve to join Mrs Rhona Beck in London.
“Mrs Beck isn’t well and I am going out there to ensure she has an enjoyable Christmas. She is the most wonderful lady and calls me her ‘honorary son’. London is bitterly cold and isn’t a patch on Cape Town in December – but I wouldn’t choose to spend the special day anywhere else.”
The 60 year old Abraham Mahlangu is an interesting man to chat to.
“Funny enough, Mr Beck only called me Abraham when he was happy with me – he used to say: Abraham you are a scholar and a gentleman – be a good man and please pour me a scotch on the rocks.”
Abe adds that the late self-made billionaire, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 80, was always keen to watch the 7pm news and if he got him home on time, that would be cause to be called Abraham.
Lucky Owner
Jet Revez wins for Abe, Rick and Dean
South African horseracing is not exactly teeming with black owners and we contacted Abe to chat about his filly Jet Revez’ victory in a Work Riders’ Maiden Plate at Kenilworth on 6 December.
He owns the Requiem filly in partnership with his good friends, Rick Achmat and Dean Kannemeyer.
He took his colours out about two years ago.
“I reckon Rick and Dean thought I had money and they roped me in. I am a coconut hey,” he laughs mischievously.
“My first win though was very exciting. It was her fifteenth start. She had run a few places. The only problem was that ‘Hot Ticket’ Rick tipped her every time she ran previously. But with the stake cheque in the bank I won’t have to go standing on the street corner to collect the money for the keep for a while,” he laughed.
The Germiston born Mahlangu, who lived in Bethal for many years, entered the employ of the late Graham Beck and his wife Rhona in 1983 after working as a groom and general assistant for a family by the name of Jooste for many years.
They kept gymkhana horses.
“The Joostes were the most wonderful people and treated me like a son. It helped that I spoke Afrikaans like an Afrikaner and I learnt a lot.”
Perfect Position
The Becks advertised for an assistant position that included a lot of travel and was related to horseracing.
“Everything fell nicely into place and my experience with the horses I think swung it in the end,” he said.
He started out as a driver, and then did everything from waiting on dinner guests, sending faxes, running errands, buying groceries – ‘a basic all-rounder’, as he puts it rather succinctly.
We asked Abe about his upbringing and education.
“Education? What’s that?” asked the eloquent man who has seen the world in his 31 years with the Beck family.
“I was streetwise. That’s it. A powerful and hugely successful businessman, Mr Beck always used to joke that his life was being ruled by a guy with a Standard 1 education! He introduced me as his black adopted son. And Mr Beck’s son Antony tells people I am his brother. Hell, we don’t look anything like each other. Some guys used to just roll their eyes and say ‘ja ja’, I think,” he smiled.
Blessed
Happy Days. Summerhill’s Micky Goss, Graham Beck, Cheryl Goss and another legend in Laurie Jaffee seen at a party in Dubai some years ago.
Abe says he is truly blessed to have had his life enriched by the Beck family.
“You know, I don’t want to sound like I’m bragging. But the Becks have given me more opportunities in life than I could ever have hoped for. My four children were educated at the best schools and Mr Beck footed the bills. When he built his home in Clifton, he included the most beautiful suite for me. Where could I have ever hoped to enjoy a seafront apartment?” he asked.
Abe says that as he is off to London on Wednesday, he won’t be spending Christmas with his wife and four kids. He has a son and daughter and twin boys and will make up for it in the New Year.
“I travelled far and wide with Mr Beck. He used to always say: ‘travel light Abe’. When the doors of the Challenger jet used to open on landing, the ground staff seemed to expect to see a group of people disembarking. It was often only Mr Beck and I. He then used to joke that we were like a married couple but he wasn’t sure who the wife was. He was a truly generous and remarkable man. A great character. I miss him a helluva lot” he said.
