Category: Trainers and Owners

Who was Alex Scott?

Who was Alex Scott? The late Alexander ‘Alex’ Scott was a racehorse trainer, who was shot dead by William Clement ‘Clem’ O’Brien, a groom at the Glebe Stud in Cheveley, Newmarket, on September 30, 1994. O’Brien was already employed at Glebe Stud when Scott bought the property in 1992, but developed a ‘deep resentment’ for his new employer. Following an argument during which he told Scott he could ‘stuff his job’, O’Brien lured him to a barn, where he shot him once with a single-barreled shotgun. Scott was just 34 years old. In July, 1995, O’Brien was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder.

Formerly a successful point-to-point jockey, Scott served as assistant trainer to Peter Calver, Harry Thomson Jones and Dick Hern before setting up on his own at Oak Stables in Newmarket in 1989. Following the retirement of Olivier Douieb, on health grounds, Scott was recruited by Maktoum al Maktoum and success soon followed. That summer, he saddled Cadeaux Genereux, owned by Maktoum al Maktoum, to win the July Cup at Newmarket and the Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

In 1991, Scott hit the headlines again by saddling Sheikh Albadou to win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Churchill Downs, Kentucky. At the time of his death, Scott also had Lammtarra, who was, at the time, a promising, once-raced two-year-old, in his care. Of course, Lammtarra went on to win the Derby, King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe to finish his career unbeaten. All told, Scott trained 164 winners.

Which horse was Sheikh Mohammed’s first British Classic winner?

Of course, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Emir of Dubai, has owned numerous British Classic winners. They have either borne his own maroon and white silks, which were first registered in 1977, or the royal blue silks of Godolphin, which began its international operation in 1994. The first of them was, in fact, Oh So Sharp who, in 1985, just came out best in a three-way photograph with Al Bahathri and Bella Colora in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket, winning by a short head and the same. For the record, the first British Classic winner in Godolphin colours was Balanchine who, in 1994, won the Oaks at Epsom, having previously been beaten the minimum margin in the 1,000 Guineas at Newmarket.

Trained by Henry, later Sir Henry, Cecil and ridden throughout her 3-year-old campaign by Steve Cauthen, Oh So Sharp went on to find further fame by completing the Fillies’ Triple Crown. Sent off 6/4 favourite for the Oaks, she won easily, by six lengths. Two defeats, by Petoski in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and by Commanche Run in what is now the Juddmonte International Stakes at York, followed, but Oh So Sharp was still sent off 8/11 favourite for the St. Leger at Doncaster in September. She could never quite shake off the attentions of her stable companion Lanfranco or Phardante, but won by three-quarters of a length and a head to preserve her place in history.

How many female trainers have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

How many female trainers have won the Cheltenham Gold Cup? The short answer is three, although those three female trainers are actually responsible for six Cheltenham Gold Cup victories between them. Jenny Pitman, who had already made history by becoming the first woman to saddle a Grand National winner in 1983, wasted no time when repeating the dose in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1984, courtesy of Burrough Hill Lad. She also won the ‘Blue Riband’ event again in 1991, with Garrison Savannah, ridden by her son, Mark.

Just over a decade later, in the wake of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, which caused the 2001 Cheltenham Festival to be abandoned, Henrietta Knight saddled Best Mate to a notable hat-trick in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004. He became the first horse since the legendary Arkle, 38 years earlier, to win the race three years running.

Last, but by no means least, Irish trainer Jessica Harrington saddled Sizing John to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017. Mrs. Harrington, 70, was having her first runner in the race and later joked about ‘beginner’s luck’, despite having previously won the Queen Mother Champion Chase (twice) and the Champion Hurdle.

Before First Flow, what was Kim Bailey’s last Grade One winner?

After he had given 17lb and upwards away to his rivals when recording a game, albeit narrow, victory, on heavy going, in the Castleford Handicap Chase at Wetherby in December, 2020, Kim Bailey described First Flow, who was completing a five-timer, as an ‘extraordinary horse’. However, the Andoversford trainer had further cause for celebration the following month, when the 9-year-old belied odds of 14/1 to win the Grade One Clarence House Chase at Ascot and, in so doing, beat the reigning two-mile champion chaser, Politologue, by 7 lengths at level weights.

Victory in the Clarence House Chase was also notable for the fact that it was the first time in 9,443 days, or 25 years, 10 months and 5 days, that Bailey had saddled a Grade One winner. Remarkably, his last winner at the highest level was Master Oats, ridden by the long-retired Norman Williamson, in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1995! To be fair, having won the Champion Hurdle 48 hours earlier with Alderbrook, Bailey was completing the Champion Hurdle – Cheltenham Gold Cup double, making him the last trainer to do so. Nevertheless, fans of nostalgia might like to know that, at the time, John Major was Prime Minister, a pint of lager cost £1.66 and ‘rogue trader’ Nick Leeson had just caused the collapse of Barings Bank.

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