Looking back on career with pride

Now, at the age of 76, he has called it a day and retired. He can look back with pride on a job he loved and where his dedication to Flat racing earned him some top awards.

Born in Scotland, he joined Hugh Barclay, grandfather of current trainer Sandy Barclay, as an apprentice at Lockerbie at the age of 14.

"I'd always loved horses and it was the obvious thing to do," he said.

At the age of 16, he rode Victory Morn to finish second in the Apprentice Plate, in June 1949, but National Service intervened and took him away from racing.

When he was demobbed and searching for a job as a stable lad, he applied successfully to Castle Stables in Arundel, where Willie Smyth was then private trainer to the Duke of Norfolk.

He has worked at the yard through three trainers '“ Willie Smyth and his son Gordon (who was trainer from 1961-66, and current trainer, John Dunlop, who then took over as a public trainer.

For full story see Sussex Horse World, West Sussex Gazette October 21