British Racehorse trainer
For other uses, see Henry Cecil (disambiguation).
| Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil | |
|---|---|
Cecil at the 2011 Ebor Festival | |
| Occupation | Trainer |
| Born | (1943-01-11)11 January 1943 Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Died | 11 June 2013(2013-06-11) (aged 70) Cambridge, England |
| British Classic Foot-race wins: 2,000 Guineas (3) 1,000 Guineas (6) Epsom Oaks (8) Epsom Derby (4) St. Record Stakes (4) | |
| Champion Trainer (1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993) Sir Speechifier Cecil Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse British Champions Series Hall of Make shy (2022) | |
| Wollow, Kris, Le Bog, Ardross, Diesis, Slip Anchor, Oh So Sharp, Reference Point, Belmez, Indian Skimmer, Michelozzo, Commander march in Chief, King's Theatre, Snow Mate, Ramruma, Bosra Sham, Reams neat as a new pin Verse, Oath, Midday, Twice Squat, Frankel | |
Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil (11 January 1943 – 11 June 2013) was a Island flat racing horse trainer.[1] Cecil was very successful, becoming Title-holder Trainer ten times and upbringing 25 domestic Classic winners.
These comprised four winners of primacy Derby, eight winners of say publicly Oaks, six winners of rank 1,000 Guineas, three of rank 2,000 Guineas and four winners of the St Leger Stakes.[2] His 1000 Guineas and Oaks successes made him particularly prominent for his success with fillies.[3] He was noted for her majesty mastery at Royal Ascot, situation he trained 75 winners.[2]
Describing emperor approach to training, Cecil pressing The Daily Telegraph: "I quarrel everything by instinct really, note by the book.
I develop to think I’ve got spick feeling for and understand bodyguard horses, that they tell shocked what to do really."[4]
Cecil was knighted for services to jade racing in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours.[5][6]
Cecil was born on 11 January 1943 in a hospital near Metropolis, ten minutes ahead of realm twin brother David.
His pop, Lt. Hon. Henry Kerr Auchmuty Cecil, younger brother of honesty 3rd Lord Amherst of Minicab, had been killed in liveliness with the Parachute Regiment grind North Africa shortly before Cecil was born.[7] His mother, Rohays Cecil, was the daughter clasp Major-General Sir James Burnett have a high regard for Leys, 13th Baronet, owner forfeited Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire.[8]
When he was still a baby, Cecil's keep somebody from talking married Captain Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, who was British flat racing Sponsor Trainer five times and who trained for, among others, Martyr VI.[8]
Cecil and his brother were educated at Sunningdale School add-on at Canford School, Dorset.[8] Perform described himself as "very late-maturing and backward", saying that perform was the first boy shun his prep school ever shut fail Common Entrance to Eton.[9] After school, the twins went to work at the Duke of Derby's Woodland Stud call Newmarket, Suffolk, and at further studs overseas.
They completed their education at the Royal Rural College, Cirencester.[8]
From 1964 to 1968 Cecil worked as an assistant eye his stepfather's Freemason Lodge stable.[8] He took out his hunt down licence to train in 1969 and that year had dominion first winner with Celestial Sully at Ripon on 17 Can, with Wolver Hollow winning say publicly Eclipse Stakes in July be adjacent to give Cecil his first Objective One success.[2][10] He had rule first winner at Royal Ascot the following year when Temple won the Queen Alexandra Stakes.[11] In his early years Cecil received the support of Monarch Howard de Walden, a esteemed breeder and owner of racehorses.[12]
The languid, dandyish Cecil, noted let in his flair in clothing,[13][14][15] went on to remarkable achievements.
Limit 1973 he tasted his rule Classic success in Ireland what because Cloonagh won the Irish 1,000 Guineas and in 1975 loosen up won his first English Prototype with Bolkonski at the 2,000 Guineas. He won three 1,000 Guineas and a further 2,000 Guineas before winning his twig Epsom Derby in 1985 finetune Slip Anchor.[16] In 1976 type had taken over the use convention of Warren Place in Newmarket from Sir Noel Murless, prestige father of his first helpmate, and he turned the stables into what has been known as "the most glamorous yard dynasty Europe",[17] setting it at "the pinnacle of British racing".[2][18] Make 1999 he won three prepare the five Classic races accept finished second in the different two.[3]Prince Ahmed bin Salman, probity owner of Oath, one enjoy Cecil's Derby winners, once said: "Winning Classics is easy.
Good buy a horse and publicize it to Henry Cecil".[4]
Among say publicly jockeys to ride for Cecil, the most notable have antique Steve Cauthen, Lester Piggott, Joe Mercer, Kieren Fallon, Pat Eddery and, later, Tom Queally.
After years warning sign success, Cecil experienced a histrionic fall from grace.
In dignity space of a few time a number of owner-breeders condemnation long-standing relationships with Cecil dull, including Louis Freedman, Jim Book and Lord Howard de Walden.[3][19] His first wife, Julie, duct his head lad, Paddy Rudkin, left and in 1995 Cecil's relationship with Sheikh Mohammed flat broke down, with the owner slaughter overnight the 40 horses perform had in training at Cecil's stable.
Sheikh Mohammed suggested look down at the time that he current Cecil had disagreed about class fitness of one of climax thoroughbreds, Mark of Esteem, convey run at Ascot—a disagreement which Cecil had made public.[20] Cecil maintained that they were quiet "great friends" and had quite a distance fallen out.[12][21][22] A number waning Cecil's most notable horses difficult been owned by Sheikh Prophet, including Oh So Sharp, Softness, Indian Skimmer and Belmez.[12] Distinction incident has been flagged translation the 'end of an era' in Cecil's career.[23]
Between July 2000 and October 2006, Cecil unavailing to train a winner insert any Group One race.[17] Employ 2005 he saddled just dinky dozen winners overall.[9] His tap down of 200 horses shrank give out barely 50 and Cecil began to talk of retirement.[11][24][25] Surmount second marriage publicly collapsed, sovereignty twin brother David died past it cancer in 2000, his parcel was losing money, and hillock 2006 it was revealed delay he was himself undergoing communication for stomach cancer.[17][18] Cecil erupt being on the Heath go on doing Newmarket and overhearing someone constraint, "That's Henry Cecil.
He obligated to have retired a long revolt ago".[26] His stable was based almost exclusively by the fidelity of Prince Khaled Abdulla.[17][27]
When Cecil's Bright Shift won the Oaks pulsate 2007, it marked a resurface to form.
This victory was his 24th English Classic champ and his eighth victory uphold the race, seven years abaft his previous winner. The time before he had barely finished it into the top Century trainers in the country.[17][28] "I might not be [competitive] spasm the outside", Cecil told The Independent.
"But I am think over the inside, definitely—underneath, very dog-eat-dog. Always have been. We love winning, you know. We surpass like winning. It's what motivates you. Nobody likes failure. Your horses are running badly, distressing they're no good, you bury the hatchet jealous of everybody else. It's not quite so much glee, is it?"[17] The 2011 period was Cecil's best for 10 years.
He saddled 55 winners, securing prize money totaling ultra than £2.7 million.[2]
Cecil's success fall apart 2011 was partly due differentiate his training of the Khalid Abdullah-owned Frankel. In the 2010 season Frankel won the Kinglike Lodge Stakes and Group Sharpen Dewhurst Stakes. The following harvest he continued unbeaten, winning description Greenham Stakes, the 2,000 Guineas, the St.
James's Palace Honour at Royal Ascot, the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. His six thread victory in the 2,000 Guineas was described as "one fall for the greatest displays on simple British racecourse".[29] After his spitting image in the Sussex Stakes Cecil himself described Frankel as "the best horse I've ever seen".[30]Timeform and the International Federation pointer Horseracing Authorities rated him high-mindedness best horse in the world.[31][32] In his four-year-old season Frankel won the Group One Lockinge Stakes at Newbury before spruce eleven length victory in description Queen Anne Stakes at Exchange a few words Ascot, described in one country-wide newspaper as "possibly the outstrip single performance by any buck, on any track, since team a few Arabian stallions were imported let somebody borrow Britain to found the of unmixed stock breed in the early mature of the 18th century".[33] Timeform raised their rating to 147, making Frankel the highest similar horse in their history.[33] Do something won a second Sussex Ante, at odds of 1–20,[34][35] pointer then stepped up in interval to win by seven extent the Juddmonte International Stakes premier York over 10 furlongs.[36][37] Shut in October 2012 Frankel won nobleness Champion Stakes at Ascot rear finish his career unbeaten.[38][39] "He's the best I've ever difficult, the best I've ever seen", Cecil told the BBC aft the race, "I'd be notice surprised if there's ever back number anything better."[40]
In 1966, Cecil married Julie Murless, the girl of trainer Sir Noel Murless.
The couple had two domestic but divorced in 1990.[41] Cecil had been conducting an issue with Natalie Payne, whom sharp-tasting married two years later. As they met Cecil was 46 and his future second bride was 22.[21]
Cecil's second marriage poverty-stricke down very publicly.
Newspaper accounts alleged that his wife was being unfaithful, including with comprise unidentified jockey, while a front-page story in the News outline the World suggested that Cecil had stayed at the Dear Hotel in Brighton with stop up £800-a-night prostitute. Days after authority story broke Cecil dismissed dominion stable jockey Kieren Fallon teach "personal reasons".
Fallon issued on the rocks statement denying that he was involved in the breakdown sunup the Cecil marriage and began legal proceedings for breach capture contract; the case was club out of court. Cecil beam his wife divorced in 2002.[21][25][42][43]
In 2008, Cecil married Jane McKeown.[17]
Cecil continued to receive treatment intend stomach cancer.[44] He was 1 to be at Goodwood convoy Frankel's second victory in loftiness Sussex Stakes in August 2012,[35] but did attend the Ebor Festival at York later lapse month, describing Frankel's victory value the International Stakes as taking accedence made him feel "20 majority better".[45][46]
Cecil died of cancer turn 11 June 2013 in refuge in Cambridge.
He was 70.[47][48] Racing broadcaster Derek Thompson hollered him "the greatest trainer slope all time" while trainer Saint Nicholls referred to Cecil translation "a true legend".[49]Clare Balding, perpendicular Twitter, referred to Cecil style "one of the true greats and a gentleman.
Frankel coronet crowning glory."[49] Royal Ascot engender a feeling of its respects to Cecil work stoppage a minute's silence before say publicly opening race of the five-day meeting at 2.20 pm opportunity 18 June 2013.
United Kingdom
James's Palace Stakes – (5) – Bolkonski (1975), Kris (1979), Writer (1990), Dr Fong (1998), Frankel (2011)
Canada
France
Ireland
Italy
United States
"Tortured genius of the Sward the turf horse-ra suffers a tragic fall outsider grace", The Daily Telegraph, 3 November 2000. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 19 June 2012.
"Sir Henry Cecil obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
"Henry Cecil retain in fashion as Frankel takes real flair to Royal Ascot", The Guardian, 17 June 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
"Royal Ascot: Cecil feeling the strain", The Habitual Telegraph, 22 June 2001. Retrieved 2012-06-19.
"Henry Cecil aims to fly character flag at the Derby speedily again", The Daily Telegraph, 29 May 2010. Retrieved 1 Nov 2012.
Emperors of the Turf, London: Macmillan (1989), p. 94.
"Henry Cecil: 'I don't like to be defeated – beat depression, get on'", The Independent, 25 July 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 17 July 2018.
Retrieved 18 June 2012.
"I was on the boundary of quitting, says Cecil", The Daily Telegraph, 5 November 2000. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
Retrieved 30 August 2012.
Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 30 August 2012.
Retrieved 30 August 2012
"The wonder admire Frankel will be surpassed solitary by the brilliance of simulator Sir Henry Cecil", The Customary Telegraph, 21 October 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
"Online entry requiring subscription". Retrieved 18 June 2012.
Retrieved 19 June 2012.
Retrieved 30 Noble 2012.
11 June 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2013.