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Sir Henry Cecil

Let's talk about... Sir Henry Cecil - David Ord on the trainer of Frankel and so much more

By Sporting Life

15:39 · WED April 29, 2020

David Ord and Mike Vince remember the late, great, Sir Henry Cecil. Now we want your memories of the man and his remarkable career.

What are your favourite memories of Sir Henry Cecil - the man, the trainer and his horses? Share your thoughts with us via racingfeedback@sportinglife.com and they will appear at the foot of the article.

David Ord:

HRAC. Four initials on a rug that always set the pulse racing.

First and foremost they meant the horse was trained by one of the greatest handlers of all time. A man touched by genius.

He may have been handed a significant advantage when starting out, inheriting Warren Place from then father-in-law Sir Noel Murless, but what followed surpassed even the loftiest of expectations.

Just look at the numbers: 25 British Classics, 75 Royal Ascot wins, over 400 British pattern races and ten trainer championships.

He trained for some of the biggest, most powerful, owners in the world, but was adored throughout the sport. He was the punters’ pal.

And then there's the horses that went through his hands. The brilliant miler Kris, a stayer in Ardross who was so talented he was only beaten a head by in his final race, the 1982 Arc. He was good but still couldn’t cope with stablemate Le Moss, who twice completed the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Doncaster Cup treble during the same era.

Slip Anchor, under an inspired Steve Cauthen, was a remarkable winner of the 1985 Derby, the pair combining again for another all-the-way Epsom winner with Reference Point two years later. He went on to add the King George and St Leger to his big-race haul.

There was a fillies’ Triple Crown for Oh So Sharp, Indian Skimmer won the Prix de Diane in 1987 and the English and Irish Champion Stakes the following year. He somehow kept the wheels on Bosra Sham to win the 1996 1000 Guineas, and a year later followed up with Sleepytime.

Kieren Fallon rode those fillies – and Oath who gave Cecil a fourth Derby winner (Commander In Chief, unraced at two) was the third.

It was glorious.

But then the wheels came off. In 1995 Sheikh Mohammed removed his horses from Warren Place, leaving 40 empty boxes and an absence of spending power at the sales.

And in 2000 his twin brother David died of cancer.

That was a devastating blow and between 2001 and 2006, Cecil was absent from the top table. Incredibly in 2005 he saddled only 12 winners. For many the game was over.

What followed, started by Light Shift’s win in the 2007 Oaks, was one of sport’s most glorious comebacks.

The tumultuous scenes as she returned to the winners’ enclosure at Epsom will live long in the memory. The man himself was visibly touched, if a little, embarrassed by it all. But he had momentum – and crucially Prince Khalid Abdulla by his side.

Twice Over and Midday provided more Group One success before in his final years, along came Frankel.

The horse of a lifetime.

We’ve already talked about him in this series, from the remarkable 2000 Guineas, through the Duel On The Downs, a ten-length Queen Anne romp and memorable Juddmonte International triumph at York he was peerless.

His trainer was very frail as he welcomed him back to the winners’ enclosure, on the Knavesmire, the ravages of his own cancer battle that began in 2006 clearly visible.

He could barely muster his voice to speak but Frankel’s performance – and the reception of the York crowd – did it for him.

“He's the best I've ever had and the best that I have ever seen,” was Cecil’s tribute to the colt.

He was fortunate to be housed where he was.

So go on…let’s talk about Sir Henry Cecil.

Mike Vince:

If there was ever a man in the modern era who could let his record do the talking it was Sir Henry Cecil - and hands up all those who didn’t have a lump in their throats on that memorable Friday afternoon in 2007 when Light Shift won the Oaks to give him his first Classic since Love Divine in the same race in Millenium year.

Seven long years in the wilderness would have broken many, but not Cecil, whose popularity was extraordinary- and whose sense of humour is something I still remember.

One year Newmarket held a pre-season dinner where the Press Room, where I was very much a junior member, were invited to join the team and leading trainers. Lisa Hancock, the new MD, triumphed by inviting Sir Mark Prescott to speak and I got lucky with the table draw next to Henry. I had not talked to him before but no matter who you were you hung on his every word and no one laughed more than he at Sir Mark’s anecdotes.

He had taken the presentation after Bosra Sham’s 1996 Champion Stakes success with huge grace and no little mischief. The prizes were presented by Sheikh Mohammed and the trainer's prize was a magnificent knife-cum-dagger.

All this a year after the Sheikh had removed his horses from Warren Place.

But Henry was at his best at home, including the Newmarket training grounds. One morning the press pack had been invited to the Heath to chat to Sir Michael Stoute about his runner in an upcoming race.

As we made our way back to transport following Sir Michael’s immaculate Boycott forward defensive to our assorted googlies, off breaks and yorkers, Henry came across on his hack, leaving his string for a moment.

"Morning Hacks" he smiled "I trust we have had a thoroughly informative, productive and entertaining morning!"

Typical Henry. They named his first 1,000 Guineas winner after him. One in a Million.

Send us your views

Send in your favourite Sir Henry Cecil memories, horses and other contributions to racingfeedback@sportinglife.com while if you’ve any ideas for more topics you want covering over the coming days and weeks, please let us know.

Feedback from readers

Andy W: Sir Henry RA Cecil and Steve Cauthen my sporting heroes when I got into horse racing in 1985. Two of the both most nicest friendliest men you could meet. I could speak for hours about them and especially Sir Henry, I met them both many times had so many good fun chats. Sir Henry even gave me a private tour of Warren place back in 1988. I saw all my equine favourites with My favourite Indian skimmer who I saw run in nearly all her English races including her very first. I saw another fav in Diminuendo and her lad Jock was telling me all about her, I said I backed her ante post at 50/1 for the 1000 guineas he said the trip is too short but she will do well in the oaks. I was shown all around saw the famous roses and a few of the lads and met Julie. They were the dream team. I saw Reffie win the 1987 Derby I didn’t bet on him as didn’t want to put the mockers on him. I was literally shaking in that final furlong with excitement I didn’t need to bet for that buzz. I was also allowed to visit Reference point at the stud farm after he retired and also saw him run at York. I used to go to 50-70 meetings a year just to see the Cecil gang of amazing horses.

Once I went from Doncaster (I was staying there for St. Leger festival) all the way to Yarmouth because there were no Cecil runners at Doncaster that day but he had 4 at Yarmouth that was an 11 hour round trip. Helensdream girl made it worth it as backed her at 4/1 and she won at 5/2 i think. I wasn’t going to be allowed in the racetrack as I missed the 1st three races due to being stuck on the way but got in for the 4th and Helens, but the hotpot 2 year old in the last got beat by a 50/1 shot. I have been stuck in bank holiday traffic, travelled in desperate weather just to follow him and his horses. I was given great tips by the stable lads too😊 but I even went to Nottingham once to see be my chief get a racecourse gallop. I Spoke to sir Henry he was running around with his arms out like an aeroplane, an amazing character.

I remember once I asked him about Brush aside as I backed him at 100/1 as a 2yr old for the derby. I asked when will we see him out as a 3yr old. Atypical Sir Henry reply..”I’m young, you’re young, he’s young...one day”. That said it all, I admired liked and worshipped the guy, the same with Steve Cauthen.. one course bookie used to call me the Cecil / Cauthen bookie basher. He used to give me prices on the unraced 2 year old an hour before any bookie had their prices he used to guess then bashed, I remember backing one at 11/10 opening price 4/9. I saw nearly all his greats in the mid late 80s to early 90s. I had a chat with Sir Henry and Charles st George at sandown one evening, explaining how Old Vic would win any Derby he would enter and St. George was trying to convince me Michelozzo who I loved too was a better 12F horse I said you are having a laugh Old Vic will be unbeatable as a 3 year old.

I could go on forever about the one and only HRAC, best trainer I have ever seen and Steve the best jockey I have ever seen.

George Goodenough: Lots on here about HRAC's later career but not much on the early years. I don't remember it but I think his first G1 was WOLVER HOLLOW in the 1969 Eclipse. I do recall the victory of BOLKONSKI at a big price in the 1975 Guineas with Grundy behind him. The following year I was at Newbury for the Greenham when Wolver Hollow's son WOLLOW put in a devastating performance. Wollow won the Guineas and went off as hot favourite for the Derby but Dettori senior never looked happy and could only finish 5th behind Lester and Empery. I remember the pursuit of the Derby with a couple of false dawns with the likes of Simply Great and Dunbeath. Then Lester himself got the sack, (was it because of a horse called Vacarme?) along came Steve Cauthen and SLIP ANCHOR and REFERENCE POINT and Henry had his Derby in the book twice over.

Patsy Basford-Ede: Sir Henry Cecil, ahhhh... The first sight I had of the great man and outstanding trainer was on his grey horse on Newmarket gallops watching his string. I was fortunate enough to visit his yard at Warren Place and to shake hands with him. The thing I remember most was his sense of humour, little quips. I was totally in awe. His handling of two year olds was remarkable. I remember he liked horses with big ears! I truly believe that Frankel gave him an extra lease of life and I thank Frankel for giving us all a couple more years of this great man's genius.

David Parker: Well done to both of you brilliant article about a great man and a great trainer. Probably the greatest in England and what he learned from Noel Murless we will never know. All the great owners sent there horses to him and the best jockeys rode for him. When Shiekh Mohammed withdrew his horses from Warren Place it was a sad day in racing obviously a greater loss to Sir Henry but Prince Khalid Abdulla brought him back to the fore obviously with Frankel but when Light Shift won the Oaks Sir Henry was back after a few years in the wilderness. I remember Sir Henry being interviewed about Frankel and he tried to explain to the interviewer that Bullet Train who was the pace maker for Frankel was a very good horse in his own right, but due to the aurora about Frankel it went straight over the top of the interviewer and Sir Henry’s face said it all why did I bother. Frankel was the best horse we have probably ever seen in our life time and a fantastic epitaph to Sir Henry well done Prince Khalid Abdulla for putting his trust in Sir Henry to train Frankel. And don’t forget Sir Henry’s trust in Tom Queally who did nothing wrong and rode Frankel to perfection. Great Team lead by a great man. One of my memories of Sir Henry’s talents was a horse called Cajun who was brilliant as a 2 year old winning two races and the last race Cajun won was the Middle Park. He came out the following year and won the Greenham then we never saw him again at his best and he just disappeared I believe he went to stud he must have been a quirky horse but he was very impressive when Sir Henry had him right. It was one question I would have asked Sir Henry if I could have.

Tony Harbour: Having just read two books about the great man he really does seem to have been just that bit different to other trainers. Whimsical maybe a word to fit. Lovely to hear that he called Twice Over his friend. His take on remaining positive doing things that makes one happy he said whether that would your garden, theatre or having an ice cream. I often think of that if im having a moan or whatever. So many horses to choose so i will select just one - think it was Kieran Fallon's first big win - having no luck in running in the Fred Darling he delivered Sleepytime for easy victory on the 1000 guineas. Never met Mr Cecil but i still miss not seeing his name printed on the racecard or giving a wonderful interview to Matt Chapman or whoever. A truly great trainer and man.

Jon Bacon: Henry was my sporting hero. From the age of 5 my Grandad would take me to just about every Newmarket meeting and there he’d be; sharp, Armani suit, yellow or pink or purple socks and tie. He’d move around the paddock like it was his kingdom because it was. He was the King and we were his loyal subjects. In those days he could do no wrong. Everything he trained won. The excitement I’d get from leaving Newmarket on the Tuesday of a Craven meeting and buying the local paper with the next day entries and seeing that there’d be 6 H Cecil runners tomorrow including 2 unraced maidens!!! Oh wow. I tingle now just thinking about it.

I saw them all and I see them now in my mind’s eye winning like it was yesterday – One In A Million, Fairy Footsteps, Kris (I’ve never been so disappointed as the day he got beat in the Guineas), Slip Anchor (God, we had to wait a long time for that first Derby!), Oh So Sharp, Le Moss, Ardross, Old Vic, Reference Point, Commander-in-Chief, it was a conveyor belt of great horses. And it all seemed so easy. What was it that owner once said?“It’s easy to have a Classic winner – just send your horse to Henry” – something like that. Glory days.

And then the slow and painful fall from grace. The winners drying up to a trickle. Buying the Horses In Training book in 2005 and seeing only 52 horses at Warren Place. The man himself in disarray. My heart would bleed would for him. Occasionally there’d be a glimmer of hope; a maiden winner or a listed success, but I think we all knew it was over. You don’t come back from that position. He was written off by everyone. Except for two people. Henry himself and Prince Khaled. We all know what happened next – the greatest sporting comeback of all time. The equivalent of Liverpool being relegated to the Vauxhall Conference and then coming back to win the Premier League.

I was there for all of it. 9 times I saw the horse of my lifetime, Frankel, strut his imperious stuff.

But the day that sticks in my mind is the day that I knew he was back and the day that I had a 1-to-1 chat with him. I still get goose-bumps now thinking about it. He had that effect on you – you knew you were in the presence of genius. It was the 20th April 2007. Newbury racecourse for the Spring meeting. It was the Friday so not Greenham day. I love those days when it’s less crowded and you can get closer to all the action. He had 3 runners. The one I was hoping might run well was Light Shift who’d won her maiden last back end. But first there was Phoenix Tower in the 7f handicap. He absolutely hacked up under Richard Hughes. It was clear he was a Group horse in waiting. I was buzzing. That would have been enough for me. But then Light Shift blitzed the boys in the 10f Conditions race. Henry had another Oaks horse! In fact he now probably had 3 Group horses (Passage Of Time had won a G1 in France at the end of last season - surely he couldn’t win another Classic?!) There was one more race. A staying maiden at the end of the card. I was floating towards the pre-paddock area to get a look at them as Henry had a big, grey type called Templestern running. As I floated, I sensed someone walking just behind me. I turned and there he was. Saddle under his arm, tugging on a cigarette. I had to.

Me (gushing) - “Well done Henry! What a day hey?!”

Henry - “Well thank you very much. Yes it’s been fun.”

Me (not quite believing I am talking to the great man) – “What about this one in the last?”

Henry – “He has a chance. We’re not here for the beer you know?”

And off he went. “We’re not here for the beer you know” – only Henry would say that. Templestern finished a close second so we didn’t get the treble but I didn’t care. He was back. There was no doubting it now. A few months later and I was one of thousands crying my eyes out at Epsom as that same filly brought him his 8th Oaks and the comeback was complete. But it was that day at Newbury and my brush with greatness that I’ll take with me to my grave.

Andrew Pelis: I can only write with a personal bias, as Henry Cecil was my all-time favourite trainer.

There are so many reasons for this, but the bottom line was that any race which included a horse from Warren Place, had a special ingredient added. He was like the sugar to a cake which became far richer and sweeter for the inclusion of an unraced HRA Cecil horse in a maiden. It was a guarantee of a quality boost to any race. Only Dr Vincent O'Brien had that same effect on the flat, just as Fred Winter and Michael Dickinson did over jumps.

Henry was personable, he related to people, was emotional, charismatic, he was humble but fiercely competitive - and hugely successful. Also not afraid to speak out.

His list of great horses in my lifetime is staggering and unmatched. I think it is fair to suggest Godolphin may not have risen as it did, without his work in the prior decade, building up Sheikh Mohammed's broodmare line and profile. Markofesteem of course was an early Godolphin headliner - and began with Henry.

He dominated all divisions, with perhaps an outstanding champion sprinter his only missing piece.

25 English Classics and 10 times Champion Trainer - and not focussed on one dominating owner. The last trainer to train an English Triple Crown winner.

His training approach has been well-recorded as holistic; he had a different way of looking at his horses and understanding them, working them out.

I was privileged to meet him and speak with him many times and have some much treasured correspondence. Our first conversation came at Yarmouth on a typical afternoon in the 1980s, when his two year-olds would farm those maiden races. On this occasion a Sheikh Mohammed colt had bolted up by eight lengths on debut.

"He's a nice horse Mr Cecil!" … with a tilted head he looked at me and replied "Yes. And I think he will get even better with a bit more time, you know?" The colt was called Russian Bond - and next time out he won the Mill Reef Stakes.

I remember speaking with him after New Approach had dotted up in the Champion Stakes. Twice Over had run second for Henry, after Phoenix Tower had suffered a late setback and missed the race. He told me: "I am not saying we would have won, but we would have given him more of a race." The disappointment was clear and Henry put the record straight in the next two renewals.

In many ways the final years somewhat overshadowed the extraordinary achievements that had gone before. Frankel was an incredible horse but so too was Twice Over, my personal favourite. I think it meant a lot to Henry that Twice Over won two Champions Stakes, a Juddmonte and an Eclipse Stakes. He wrote to me, describing the horse as "a friend".

There wasn't one thing about Henry for me, his popularity came from the whole package. His ability to train the best. The expectation and ability to deliver. Also his panache. The total package and someone whose legend will only grow with time. He will be lauded long after we have all passed.

Dave Chapman: Well I really just wouldn’t know where to start, I will try to keep it relatively short or it will fill up your page. This man has been the one constant throughout most of my racing life that has shone brighter in my eyes than anybody else in our great sport, I am getting emotional now writing this – yet I can't explain the reason for this (though I must admit Brough Scott's fantastic book had me reading the bulk of it through misty eyes). I remember from being a young kid in the days before I could legally bet and in the days where the evening papers published the same days results on their front page in all early editions – if I picked up a paper at say 4.30 or 5pm I would usually have all the results till 3.30ish and you could almost guarantee that if the racing had started at around 1pm that day Henry Cecil would of had 2, 3 or 4 winners most days throughout that day's 2 or 3 meetings, especially on the days we raced at Yarmouth HAPPY DAYS. A special trainer a special man a generous man a loyal man a very unassuming man all traits that made Henry Cecil a Sir in every sense of the word. It is well documented that as a trainer he won everything and how he turned around some horses that virtually no other trainer would of mastered, and it is also well documented how he won big prizes with some ery fragile horses -but for me it is a couple of other things that made Sir Henry's story a story and elevated himself to heights that may never be matched. The loss of Sheikh Mohammed and the subsequent wilderness years the comeback and his training of our greatest ever horse (a real monkey in every sense of the word in his earlier days) are the things that elevate Sir Henry Cecil to mythical status, wow what a story his life was. Racing is certainly the poorer for his passing but oh how the memories will last.

Tim Williams: Roses, Gucci shoes, great horses, smoking, controversy. What a legend! Stayers, 2 year olds, middle distance horses, Ascot winners, Classic winners, nonchalantly reading the Racing Paper during the Morning Line seemingly oblivious to the fact that a live TV show was going on around him. Great memories.

Dave Youngman: What can I say about Henry Cecil that hasn't been said a million times before. I was lucky to have been with trainer Noel Murless back in the 1960s so knew Henry for most of my life as he married the Murless daughter and was a regular visitor at Warren Place when he was courting Julie Murless. Henry was not just a great trainer he was a most wonderful person, he had the same time for a stable lad as he did a Billionaire owner, he had a great understanding of every horse under his care. I well remember in 1984 when Slip Anchor first arrived at Warren Place telling him it would be his first Derby winner the following season, what great memories I have of it going round Tattenham corner like a Greyhound and winning easily under Stevie Cauthen, great joy and how well deserved by a great man. I hope you all enjoy this photo of me with Henry at Warren Place.

John Wilsher: In April 2012 I was at Newmarket. One of my favourite races the Earl of Sefton Stakes was coming up so I wandered over to the saddling enclosure. Sir Henry had just completed Twice Over’s preparation and the lass began to lead the horse into the paddock. However Twice Over, who was by now a seven year old, had his own ideas and flatly refused to go under the archway. His handler tried all the usual tricks and techniques but no, the horse absolutely refused to cooperate. Henry, obviously already very ill, then showed us how to handle thoroughbred personalities. He got the lass to lead the horse straight out onto the race course and then back into the paddock, as if he was going into the winners enclosure. Twice Over swaggered in no problem. A heart felt murmur of appreciation rippled round the group watching. That showed to me the depth of Henry’s skill and patience with race horses. He clearly had many great moments but great times are built on a solid foundation of thousands of small incidents like the one I witnessed that day.