Prominent owner Chris Gerber has passed away as the result of complications resulting from a severe case of malaria.

Gerber, 53, contracted malaria when away on a fishing trip but he passed away as the result of heart failure.

He has a number of horses all over the country but the majority of them have been with Alec Laird. He is also the owner of unbeaten Rainbow Bridge who is trained in Cape Town by Eric Sands

In 2003 he teamed up with veterinarian Bennie van der Merwe to form Moutonshoek stud farm.

Chris was the son of Springbok rugby player, Mickey Gerber, but despite the rugby genes, he grew up going to the races with his father and has had horses in his blood all his life.

He attended King Edward School in Johannesburg, did an undergraduate degree at Stellenbosch and completed his post grad studies at UCT to become a chartered accountant.

He described himself as being in the fuel retail business and managed the national Engen One Stop chain.

Tabnews