Denys Smith (13 August 1924 – 13 November 2016) was a British

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

trainer whose horses competed in both

Flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

and

National Hunt racing National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, horse racing in Great Britain, Great Britain and horse racing in Ireland, Ireland. Jump Racin ...

. Smith's training stables were located at

Bishop Auckland Bishop Auckland ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish at the confluence of the River Wear and the River Gaunless in County Durham, England. It is northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham, England, Durham. M ...

County Durham County Durham, officially simply Durham, is a ceremonial county in North East England.UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. The county borders Northumberland and Tyne an ...

. He trained the winners of over 1,600 races during a 45-year career and gained his biggest success when Red Alligator won the

1968 Grand National The 1968 Grand National was the 122nd renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 30 March 1968. The winner was the nine-year-old Red Alligator, by 20 lengths. He was ridden by jo ...

. Smith worked as a taxi driver before his joining his father-in-law, Bert Richardson, as a cattle dealer. Richardson owned horses which took part in

harness racing Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait (a trot or a pace). They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, spider, or chariot occupied by a driver. In Europe, and less frequently in Australia ...

and Smith assisted him with buying horses and training them before moving on to training point-to-point horses. He eventually became a fully licensed trainer himself and sent out his first winner in 1958 with Owen's Mark at

Sedgefield Racecourse Sedgefield Racecourse is an English left-handed horse racing course, used for jump racing. It is owned by Arena Racing Company and located close to the town of Sedgefield, County Durham. The course is an undulating, left handed oval of about 1m ...

. His first Flat race winner came in 1964 when Miss Autumn won at

Aintree Racecourse Aintree Racecourse is a horse racing, racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England, near to Liverpool. The racecourse is the venue for the Grand National steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase, which takes place annually in April over three da ...

. In 1969–70 and 1970 Smith became the first trainer to send out 50 winners in consecutive National Hunt and Flat seasons. He retired from training in 2002 and had his final winner with Monksford at

Hamilton Park Racecourse Hamilton Park racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue in Hamilton, Scotland to the south of Glasgow. It is a flat racing venue, with a season which runs from May to September. The very first race to take place in Hamilton was in 1782 ...

in July of that year.

Major wins

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

– (1) – '' Red Alligator (1968)'' * Gloucestershire Hurdle – (1) – ''King Cutler (1968)'' *

Middle Park Stakes The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it i ...

– (1) – '' Tudenham (1972)'' *

Flying Childers Stakes The Flying Childers Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old horses. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 5 furlongs and 3 yards (1,008 metres), and it is sch ...

– (1) – ''Mandrake Major (1976)''

References

1924 births 2016 deaths British racehorse trainers British taxi drivers People from Bishop Auckland {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub