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Coventry Stakes
The Coventry Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June. History The event was established in 1890, and it was named after the 9th Earl of Coventry, who served as the Master of the Buckhounds at that time. The present system of race grading was introduced in 1971, and for a period the Coventry Stakes was classed at Group 3 level. It was promoted to Group 2 status in 2004. It is usually contested on the opening day of the Royal Ascot meeting. Records Leading jockey (9 wins): * Sir Gordon Richards – ''Manitoba (1932), Medieval Knight (1933), Hairan (1934), Nasrullah (1942), Khaled (1945), Tudor Minstrel (1946), The Cobbler (1947), Palestine (1949), King's Bench (1951)'' Leading trainer (10 wins): * Aidan O'Brien - ''Harbour Master (1997), Fasliyev (1999), Landseer ( ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chief Singer
Chief Singer (19 March 1981 – 2000) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and Horse breeding#Terminology, sire. In a racing career which lasted from June 1983 until September 1984 he ran nine times and won four races. The colt won the Conditions races, Group Three Coventry Stakes at Royal Ascot on his racecourse debut but ran disappointingly in his only other race as a two-year-old. As a three-year-old he finished second to El Gran Senor in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket Racecourse and then completed a rare hat-trick of wins by taking the St. James's Palace Stakes at Ascot, the July Cup at Newmarket and the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood Racecourse, Goodwood. At the end of that season he retired to stud where he had limited success as a sire of winners. Background Chief Singer was a dark brown, almost black horse standing 16.3 Hand (unit), hands high with a white Horse markings, blaze and two white feet. He was the best horse sired by Ballad Rock, an Irish s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Horse Trainer
A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them good behaviors and/or coaching them for events, which may include contests and other riding purposes. The level of education and the yearly salary they can earn for this profession may differ depending on where the person is employed. History Domestication of the horse, Horse domestication by the Botai culture in Kazakhstan dates to about 3500 BC. Written records of horse training as a pursuit has been documented as early as 1350 BC, by Kikkuli, the Hurrian "master horse trainer" of the Hittite Empire. Another source of early recorded history of horse training as a discipline comes from the Ancient Greece, Greek writer Xenophon, in his treatise ''On Horsemanship''. Writing circa 350 BC, Xenophon addressed Horse training, starting young horses, selecting older animals, and proper Horse groom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott (5 November 1935 – 29 May 2022) was an English professional jockey and horse trainer. With 4,493 career flat racing wins in Britain, including a record nine Epsom Derby victories, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest flat racing jockeys of all time and the originator of a much-imitated style. Popularly called "The Long Fellow", he was known for his competitive personality, restricting his weight and, on occasion, not sparing the whip, such as in the 1972 Derby. Piggott was convicted of tax fraud in 1987 and sentenced to three years in prison, but served just over a year. Early life Piggott was born in Wantage, Berkshire, to a family that could trace its roots as jockeys and trainers back to the 18th century.p45, David Boyd, A Bibliographical Dictionary of Racehorse Trainers in Berkshire 1850–1939 (1998) The Piggotts were a Cheshire farming family who from the 1870s ran the Crown Inn in Nantwich for over 30 years. Piggott's grandfather, Ernes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
William C
William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle Ages and into the modern era. It is sometimes abbreviated "Wm." Shortened familiar versions in English include Will or Wil, Wills, Willy, Willie, Bill, Billie, and Billy. A common Irish form is Liam. Scottish diminutives include Wull, Willie or Wullie (as in Oor Wullie). Female forms include Willa, Willemina, Wilma and Wilhelmina. Etymology William is related to the German given name ''Wilhelm''. Both ultimately descend from Proto-Germanic ''*Wiljahelmaz'', with a direct cognate also in the Old Norse name ''Vilhjalmr'' and a West Germanic borrowing into Medieval Latin ''Willelmus''. The Proto-Germanic name is a compound of *''wiljô'' "will, wish, desire" and *''helmaz'' "helm, helmet".Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names' ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frankie Durr
Frankie Durr (10 November 1925 - 18 January 2000) was a four-time Classic-winning jockey in the 1960s and 1970s and later a moderately successful racehorse trainer. Jockey career Francis Durr was born in Liverpool on 10 November 1925. He was apprenticed at first to Jack Payne at Bedford Cottage stables in Newmarket and then Willie Pratt and had his first ride in 1942. He rode his first winner, Merle, at Pontefract in 1944 and the following year was joint Champion Apprentice, tied with Tommy Gosling on 10 wins. It took him some time after this to build a reputation but eventually, he became the retained jockey of the Duke of Norfolk at Arundel Stable, where he would stay for six years. During this time he won the Free Handicap on Caerlaverock in 1952. He also rode for Major Holliday, Geoffrey Barling, Lady Beaverbrook and David Robinson. For Barling, he won the 1970 City and Suburban Handicap on Granados, and for Lady Beaverbook the 1967 Dewhurst Stakes on Hametus. For ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jimmy Lindley
James Frederick Lindley (16 May 1935 – 23 March 2022) was an English jockey who competed in flat racing. After retiring as a jockey he became a broadcaster. During his career as a jockey, he won three Classic races: the 2,000 Guineas in 1963 and 1966 and the St Leger in 1964. He retired from racing in 1974, after which he became the BBC's paddock expert during the flat season, commenting on horses as they paraded, as well as being a race analyst. He spent nearly 30 years in this role. Major wins *Ascot Gold Cup - '' Precipice Wood (1970), Lassalle (1973)'' *2000 Guineas - '' Only For Life (1963), Kashmir (1966)'' * Coronation Cup - '' Charlottown (1967)'' * King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - '' Aggressor (1960)'' *St James's Palace Stakes - '' Track Spare (1966), Sun Prince (1972)'' *St Leger - ''Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Hern
William Richard Hern (20 January 1921 – 22 May 2002) was an English Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and winner of sixteen British Classic Races between 1962 and 1995, and was Champion Trainer on four occasions. Following his early career in the Army (Major), he became a riding instructor, including a spell as instructor to the Olympic gold medal-winning team in 1952. His first training licence was as private trainer to Major Lionel Holliday in 1958, at La Grange Stables in Newmarket, before moving to West Ilsley at the end of the 1962 season to take over from R. J. "Jack" Colling. Hern became a St. Leger Stakes specialist, winning the event six times. He produced three Epsom Derby winners in Troy (1979), Henbit (1980) and Nashwan (1989), who also won the 2,000 Guineas and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Hern trained Brigadier Gerard who was only beaten once in eighteen races. Other major winners include Sun Princess, Dayjur, Hethersett, Bireme, B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Mercer (jockey)
Joseph Mercer, OBE (25 October 1934 – 17 May 2021) was an English thoroughbred race horse jockey. He was active from 1947 to 1985, riding 2,810 winners in Britain. Mercer's nickname was "Smokin' Joe.” He was apprenticed to trainer Frederick Sneyd, and he won his first British Classic race on Ambiguity in the 1953 Epsom Oaks as an apprentice. He was British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1952 and 1953. He subsequently worked as stable jockey for Jack Colling, Dick Hern, Henry Cecil and Peter Walwyn. While at Cecil's yard, he won his only British flat racing Champion Jockey's title in 1979. Mercer's most successful ride was Brigadier Gerard, who won all but one of 18 races between 1970 and 1972. Mercer won every British Classic except the Derby, although he twice was runner-up. He retired as a jockey in November 1985, worked briefly as a jockey's agent, and then became racing manager for Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum in 1987. He retired in January 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mill Reef
Mill Reef (23 February 1968 – 2 February 1986) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a three-year career from 1970 to 1972, he won twelve of fourteen races and finished second in the other two. The horse was an outstanding two-year-old in 1970 but proved even better at three, winning the Epsom Derby, the Eclipse Stakes, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. He won both his starts as a four-year-old before his racing career was ended by a severely broken leg that threatened his life. At just under 16 hands as a three-year-old, Mill Reef is considered one of the greatest thoroughbreds to run in Europe since WWII. He recovered from a complicated operation on his broken leg to become a very successful stallion. Background Mill Reef was bred in the United States at the Rokeby Stables in Virginia of his owner and breeder, philanthropist Paul Mellon. He was a son of Never Bend out of the mare Milan Mi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Paddy Prendergast (racehorse Trainer)
Patrick Joseph Prendergast (1910–1980), known as Paddy "Darkie" Prendergast was an Irish trainer of racehorses. He won seventeen Irish classics and became the first Irish trainer to have a major impact on British flat racing. He trained the first Irish winners of the 2000 Guineas and The Oaks and was British champion trainer for three successive seasons. Early career Paddy Prendergast was born at Carlow in County Carlow, the eldest of a brotherhood of jockeys, but moved to Athy in County Kildare when very young. His father, Pat, was a horse trader and was known "as a good judge of hunters and other breeds". He was apprenticed to Roderic More O'Ferrall at Kildangan, County Kildare, but soon moved to Epsom where he rode under both rules but principally National Hunt. In August 1931 with his young bride he moved to Melbourne and obtained a licence to ride the following month. Their eldest son was born in Australia but though he rode there for a year he failed to ride any wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Williamson
William James Williamson (19 December 1922 – 28 January 1979) was an Australian jockey who enjoyed considerable success in Australia during the 1950s and in Europe during the 1960s. He was named after his father William James Williamson, a machinist, and his wife Euphemia Agnes. Racing career From a young age he showed considerable interest in horse racing and left Mordialloc-Chelsea High School aged 14 to take up a post as an apprentice jockey. He worked initially under trainer F. H. Lewis who was his great uncle who was the brother of Robert Lewis also a jockey. During this time he met Jack Holt the trainer. He won his first race in 1937 at Lilirene. On 5 January 1942 was called upon to serve in the military, where he worked as a driver with the 119th General Transport Company. Willamson was released two and a half years later on 30 October 1944, when he once again turned to developing his horseracing career. He married Zelma Ava Dickman, a hairdresser on 17 January 194 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Balding
Ian Balding (born 7 November 1938) is a British retired horse trainer. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Matthews Balding and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Ian Balding was born in the US, but his family returned to the UK in 1945. He was educated at Marlborough College and Millfield school in Somerset. He went up to Christ's College, Cambridge, in 1959 to read Rural Estate Management, where he played Rugby for the university team, gaining his Blue in 1961 at full back. He started training in 1964. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally respected trainer. He principally trained horses for flat races, but did however bring Crystal Spirit to victory in 1991 at the Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle. Ian Balding has had influence on many top class Thoroughbreds and race horses, amongst whom some are Mill Reef, Lochsong, Mrs Penny, Glint of Gold, Diamond Shoal, Gold and Ivory ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
