Few people have lived as much of their lives in South African Thoroughbred racing as Patricia Devine - a 49 year colour holder. Long before Jet Master became a household name and one of the country's greatest stallions, racing had already become part of her identity. It was inherited through generations, nurtured during childhood at Greyville and strengthened by decades spent breeding, buying and racing elite Thoroughbreds. Although Jet Master would become the horse forever linked to the Devine name, Patricia's own story is every bit as compelling.

Growing up in Kloof, a suburb within driving distance of central Durban, racing was never far away. Her father, Bob Maxwell, worked at the Durban Turf Club at Greyville Racecourse as an accountant, and the sport dominated life at home.

"The talk around the dining room table from an early age was always about racecourses and racing," she recalled in a discussion with SAHorseracing.COM. 

Living within 20 minutes of Greyville meant racehorses were part of everyday life. Her father occasionally brought home retired racehorses for her to ride, giving Patricia a hands-on introduction to Thoroughbreds from an early age.

Like many young racing enthusiasts, she dreamed of becoming a jockey. The opportunities available to women at the time, however, were vastly different from today.

"You could only get into the racecourse at the age of 18 then," she said, explaining that pursuing a riding career simply wasn't an option.

Instead, she immersed herself in every other aspect of the sport. She attended major race meetings, spent countless hours around horses and absorbed knowledge from experienced horsemen.

One of the most influential people during those formative years was Ben Jonsson, whose friendship with the Devine family stretched back several generations. Patricia credits him with changing the direction of her life by persuading her to leave her job and come work for him.

Her family's association with horses extended well beyond her own childhood. Patricia spoke of generations before her who loved horses, making it clear that the Thoroughbred industry was deeply embedded in the family's history.

In was in her early years in Pretoria, where Patricia established a small breeding operation despite the area offering very little in terms of Thoroughbred breeding infrastructure.

"I had a very small stud because there were no studs around there," Patricia recalled.

The operation may have been modest, but it quickly demonstrated its potential.

Among her early highlights was breeding the Grade 1 winner Oakland Bay, a horse Patricia still remembers fondly.

"We were very thrilled to have him," she said.

Henry Devine had first entered Patricia's life in rather unusual fashion.

For years she found herself competing against the same determined buyer at yearling sales.

"Every time I wanted to buy a horse, this guy called Henry Devine seemed to be buying exactly the same families I liked," she recalled.

Their shared appreciation for bloodlines eventually became the foundation of a lifelong partnership. Together they combined their breeding interests before deciding to relocate to the Western Cape, believing it offered a stronger environment for building a successful Thoroughbred operation.

By then, the Devines had developed a reputation for trusting their own judgement rather than following popular opinion.

That instinct would soon be tested.

The defining moment arrived at a sale in Pietermaritzburg.

Henry had travelled to inspect mares being dispersed, while Patricia wandered through the weanling section.

There she noticed a colt unlike any other.

"He had just been weaned. He had never been in a stable until the sale. He was terrified. He had huge eyes and he was shaking," she remembered.

The frightened youngster immediately captured her attention.

Patricia walked into the stable, gently comforted the colt and experienced what she still describes as an unforgettable moment.

"It was love at first sight."

Convinced she had found something extraordinary, she hurried back to Henry.

He was unconvinced.

The couple already owned plenty of horses and had not travelled to buy another youngster.

Patricia persisted.

"This one is special. I've got a special feeling about him."

Eventually Henry agreed to inspect the colt for himself.

Although impressed, he remained disciplined, deciding they would bid no higher than R10,000.

Patricia feared that would never secure him.

As bidding climbed beyond their limit and Henry refused to continue, she quietly pushed his elbow into the air, registering one final bid.

The auctioneer accepted it.

Henry was less than impressed.

Patricia laughed as she remembered the moment, admitting her husband was furious. Incidentally, the colt was owned by Hugh Jonsson, brother to Ben.

That impulsive decision would become one of the most significant purchases in South African racing history.

The Devines had just bought a colt named Jet Master.

Even after arriving on the farm, however, few people shared Patricia's enthusiasm.

Jet Master was tall, gangly and still very immature. Trainers inspecting young horses repeatedly overlooked him, believing others possessed greater immediate potential.

Patricia never wavered.

She believed time would transform him.

Eventually Tony Millard and father Terrance visited the farm to inspect prospective horses. Patricia recalled that the Millards saw something in Jet Master that many others had missed and asked if they could take him into training.

Henry was surprised by their interest.

He agreed.

It proved to be the beginning of one of the most remarkable racing careers South Africa has produced.

Patricia Devine's instinct proved flawless.

The awkward colt so many had overlooked matured into one of South Africa's greatest racehorses, rewarding the faith shown by both the Devine family and trainer Tony Millard.

Under Millard's care, Jet Master rapidly established himself among the country's elite. He captured the Gr1 Cape Argus Guineas, Gr1 Queen's Plate, Gr1 Golden Spur and Gr1 Nissan Challenge, displaying the versatility and class that would define his racing career.

When Millard accepted an opportunity in Hong Kong, another important decision followed.

Rather than retiring the horse or changing direction, the Devines entrusted Jet Master to Millard's brother-in-law, Geoff Woodruff. The transition proved seamless.

Under Woodruff's care, Jet Master added a second Gr1 Queen's Plate to his remarkable record before confirming himself as South Africa's outstanding sprinter. Victories in the Gr1 Cape Flying Championship and Gr1 Mercury Sprint, together with a successful defence of his Gr1 Golden Spur title, elevated him to an even higher level.

Looking back, Patricia still smiles when she remembers watching him develop.

"He grew into the most gorgeous-looking horse."

Despite everything he achieved on the racecourse, it was the horse's personality that remained closest to her heart.

"He was the love of my life... my favourite child," she said, laughing as she recalled how Henry would tease her that Jet Master never answered back.

Away from the spotlight, Jet Master displayed a remarkably gentle temperament.

One incident remains among Patricia's favourite memories.

When the horse's closest stable companion retired, staff at Tony Millard's yard noticed a dramatic change in his behaviour. They tried footballs and other toys to occupy him, but nothing worked.

Eventually the stable phoned the Devines with an unusual request.

Could they buy Jet Master a sheep?

Henry initially questioned the idea, but permission was granted.

The experiment proved an immediate success.

Whenever stable staff opened Jet Master's door, they frequently found the champion lying quietly beside his woolly companion. The two became inseparable. He was fondly named Sunday Roast!

The sheep even travelled to race meetings. There was one story that Devine relayed when Sunday Roast got loose at Scottsville and was subsequently seen running down the straight. Naturally, he was subsequently banned from the races! However the stable made a plan and had Sunday Roast on leash when at the races.

Because Jet Master was transported separately from the other horses, his companion accompanied him in the horsebox, helping him remain relaxed throughout the journey.

It became one of the more unusual stories attached to one of South Africa's greatest champions.

There were also challenges. Patricia revealed that Jet Master's career was carefully managed after throat surgery. The first operation failed before a second procedure proved successful.

Veterinary advice afterwards was clear.

He should remain around 1,600 metres because racing over further distances risked creating additional complications.

Patricia believes those limitations prevented racing fans from seeing the full extent of his stamina.

"As soon as we went further, the flaps could have caused problems," she explained while reflecting on his career.

When Jet Master retired, the Devines faced another important decision.

Although opportunities existed elsewhere, they believed the Western Cape offered the best environment for him to begin life as a stallion.

His popularity was immediate.

Demand for nominations quickly exceeded expectations but some breeders were not convinced.

"Jet Master will do the talking himself," she said.

History proved her correct.

Season after season, his progeny established him among South Africa's most influential stallions, ensuring his reputation rested on performance rather than public perception.

Eventually he relocated to Klipdrift Stud owned by Bennie Mararis, where he spent the remainder of his stud career.

His influence only continued to grow.

For Patricia, however, his greatest qualities had never been measured by race records or stallion statistics.

He was simply Jet Master.

His final days brought her immense sadness.

After contracting West Nile virus, international veterinary specialists travelled to South Africa to perform surgery. According to Patricia, the operation itself was successful and the specialists returned overseas believing the procedure had gone well.

Tragically, complications followed soon afterwards.

Patricia's immediate concern was not financial or commercial.

She wanted the horse who had given her so much to be treated with dignity.

When his London insurance company wished to conduct a post-mortem examination, she asked that it not be done. They relented. Such was her fondness for the horse that even in death she attempted to preserved his dignity.

"He'd been such a wonderful horse. We can't bring him back," she said.

Jet Master was buried on the farm at Klipdrift overlooking the mares he had served so successfully, exactly where Patricia believed he belonged.

Today, Patricia Devine continues breeding on a smaller scale, carefully preserving the female families she has spent decades cultivating. While she no longer maintains the numbers she once did, her passion for breeding remains undiminished, and she still takes enormous satisfaction from watching young horses develop under trainers she trusts.

Looking back across a lifetime in racing, Patricia, now 80, has experienced almost every emotion the Thoroughbred industry can offer. She has celebrated Grade 1 victories, bred elite performers, endured heartbreaking losses and witnessed one remarkable colt evolve into a champion racehorse and an exceptional stallion.

Jet Master will forever be remembered as one of South Africa's all-time greats. Yet behind that extraordinary horse stands the quiet conviction of Patricia Devine, whose belief never faltered when others saw only an awkward youngster. Her story is one of patience, instinct and lifelong dedication to the Thoroughbred, leaving a legacy that reaches far beyond a single champion.

Images from the Devine Family home, resembling what Jet Master meant to the family