Tag Archive for: Harry Herbert

‘Incredible character’ Geoff Lewis dies aged 89

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Harry Herbert hailed leading jockey-turned-trainer Geoff Lewis as “one of racing’s great characters” following his death at the age of 89.

Lewis was best known for his association with the great Mill Reef during his days in the saddle, a horse he rode to victory in both the Derby and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1971.

Following the end of his riding career in 1979, he began training from Thirty Acre Barn in Epsom, the racing town where he had served as an apprentice to Ron Smyth as a teenager.

From a relatively small stable he enjoyed great success with horses such as the top sprinter Lake Coniston, who he trained for Highclere Thoroughbred Racing in the early days of their enterprise.

Lake Coniston’s triumphs included the July Cup, the Duke of York, the Abernant, the Diadem and the Hackwood Stakes, and Lewis’ contribution to the early prosperity of Highclere was significant.

“It is incredibly sad news, Geoff really got us going at Highclere,” said Harry Herbert, founder and chairman of the syndicate.

“He trained our first champion, Lake Coniston, to win the July Cup in 1995 and he was such an incredible character.

“Anyone who had horses with us and Geoff in those early days will never forget the stable visits, his daughter Mary would cook our members the most delicious lunches and Geoff and his wife Noelene were like a double act.

“They were wonderful; warm, welcoming and great entertainers.

“We were fortunate enough to have some really good horses with Geoff, not just Lake Coniston but Referendum too, who was second in the National Stakes in Ireland.

“He was very generous in his efforts to get Highclere started, he called on friends of his and other owners and we probably ended up having seven or eight horses with him because he was so supportive.

“It was a sad day when he gave up training. We have wonderful memories of a marvellous man, a hugely talented jockey, a hugely talented trainer and one of racing’s great characters. We will miss him.”

Mill Reef also provided Lewis with victories in the Dewhurst and the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes, with the rider claiming plenty of other notable prizes including the Stewards’ Cup aboard Tudor Monarch for Sir Winston Churchill in 1959, the Ascot Stakes and the Doncaster Cup aboard Queen Elizabeth II’s Magna Carta in 1970 and 2000 Guineas on Right Tack in 1969.

Simon Dow now trains at the stable where Lewis served his apprenticeship, and described him as a huge part of the racing community in Epsom.

“He was an Epsom legend, an icon, of course he won the Derby on the great Mill Reef,” he said.

“He was a force to be reckoned with, both as a jockey and as a trainer. For 20 years as a trainer he was extremely successful from Thirty Acre Barn.

“It is very unusual for good Flat jockeys to go on to be top Flat trainers but he was one of the few who made the transition.

“He was part of the fabric of Epsom. People of my age and generation have fantastic memories of him, he was a great character who was also extremely supportive and a friend to everyone in Epsom.”

Options home and abroad for promising filly Awaken

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Royal Ascot runner-up Awaken is poised to return to deeper waters after a brief drop back in grade to open her account at Leicester recently.

Second to Richard Spencer’s well-regarded Gold Digger at Yarmouth on debut, she reversed that form when again a silver medallist in the Albany Stakes at the Royal meeting, finishing a length and a half adrift of Karl Burke’s Venetian Sun in a race that is beginning to look a red-hot piece of form.

The daughter of Mehmas made all to open her account at Leicester and Harry Herbert of owners Highclere Thoroughbreds said: “The Albany form is very strong and she has come out of the race really well, which she should have done really as it was just a piece of work for her in many ways.

“It was good to make her a winner and in that respect it was job done and now we can aim our sights towards black-type races again.”

Trained by George Boughey, Awaken is currently a single figure price for the Sky Bet Lowther Stakes during York’s Ebor Festival, but she is not certain to line-up on the Knavesmire with connections also contemplating a step up in trip for Deauville’s Prix du Calvados.

Herbert continued: “It could be the Lowther next but I’m not sure that necessarily smells totally right at the moment and she has plenty of options. There’s also the Prix du Calvados in France and we think seven furlongs would very much be in her compass.

“There’s two or three races lurking and we do think now she’s got the win under her belt she is capable of taking that step back into black-type company and see how far she takes us.

“She’s a very scopey filly and it is also about next season as well and here at Highclere we’re forever dreaming she may develop into a 1000 Guineas prospect, it’s fantastically exciting.”