- This topic has 20 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 17 years, 11 months ago by
.
- Posts
I notice that the 2YO maiden at Salisbury today is named after Herbert & Gwen Blagrave and have vague memories of Mr. Blagrave back in the ’70’s.
I think he was an owner / trainer whose jockeys sported red & white silks and that he had 1 or 2 useful horses. I seem to remember a decent filly of his winning or running well in a conditions race at Newbury but can’t recall her name and don’t have any form books from that era to hand.
Can anyone provide more info. about the Blagrave stable and the man himself?
It so happens his old racing silks are up for auction by Bonhams at Tattersalls in Newmarket on 19 July. See lot 249. The description names him wrongly, it’s Herbert Blagrave as you say, although Henry was one of his middle names. One of his horses, Couvert, had won the Coventry Stakes at Kempton (!), the Birmingham Cup and the Royal Hunt Cup between 1936-38, when he was training at Beckhampton. Sorry I don’t have flat race form books for more recent times!
Think his colours were cherry red and powder blue hoops, red cap.
Trained amongst others HONOURABLE 1950 Ascot Stakes; MASTER VOTE 1947 & 48 Royal Hunt Cup; ANTIQUARIAN & SOVEREIGN RULER (2 Kempton Jubilees for the former – when the race was more prestigious than nowadays – 1 for the latter) VITAL MATCH 1969 Falmouth Stakes.
May well have had other good winners; my memory is not that good.
He owned a number of studs in his time (think he may have owned Gainsborough Stud at one time). Trained at Beckhampton.Think his colours were cherry red and powder blue hoops, red cap.
.Officially, they were Maroon and Light Blue Hoops with a Maroon Cap. Interestingly, today’s race has been run for nigh on 50 years with the bulk of the original prize money put up by the Blagraves (it was worth £1500 in 1963 for example, a not inconsiderable sum for the time).
On the subject of Herbert Blagrave, he’s most famous outside of racing circles as President of Southampton FC at the time they won the FA Cup. In order to stop his racing mad star player from leaving, he gifted him two broodmares, one of whom became the granddam of a Hennessy Gold Cup winner; that player was the trainer of today’s Group 1 winner at Saint Cloud, Mick Channon.
Can`t offer a lot on this but think the one eyed Belper may have been one of theirs ( Jimmy Lindley never failed to mention he was one eyed)
One Herbert Blagrave horse I remember clearly from the early 1970’s I think was Red Brigand, a talented animal who had far more ability than he cared to show, and who was still a maiden at the start of his four year old season, but won three races off the reel after being gelded.
One of his last group winners (if not the last) was Rymer, who won the Brigadier Gerard in 1975.
Jogged a few memories! I remember Rymer now and seeing reference to Vital Match, I think he also trained Vital Season – great stuff.
The one-eyed Belper was a John Dunlop horse, used to be ridden by Ron Hutchinson and did most if not all of his winning at Brighton. Blind in his nearside eye, they used to say that he like to keep his good eye on the opposition.
Brighton Tue 25 June 1974
First course win possibly –
Belper ( Busted-Maurine) 5 yr
Lady Manton
Lady Sarah Fitzalan-HowardLight Blue and Red qtd , Blue sleeves , check cap
trained by Dunlop ridden by Hutchinson
Don’t know he was one-eyed at that point.
Some facts about him.
Herbert Henry Gratwicke Blagrave
Born 3/3/1899 Died 4/7/1981
Served at front in WW1 as officer in Royal Artillery.
Played one First Class cricket match for Gloucs. in 1922.
Began training racehorses in 1928. Trained only for himself and his wife the majority of which were home-bred at his Harwood Stud.
His theory was to fuse the best of British and French bloodlines and was a regular purchaser of bloodstock from his friend M Leon Volterra.
First important winner was 1938 Royal Hunt Cup (Couvert).
Won important races with Atout Maitre, Master Vote, Saucy Sal, Royal Drake, Vic Day, Honorable II, Chinese Cracker, Antiquarian, Sovereign Ruler, All Found, Realistic, Private Walk , Bright Fire and Rymer.
Lester Piggott often rode for him if he had a fancied horse in a decent race.
Stood top class racehorses Match III and Reliance II at his stud.
In his role as Southampton FC chairman he encouraged Mick Channon, who at the time played for him, to take up racehorse ownership and breeding and even gave him two mares to get him started including Blue Horizon who was maternal granddam of Hennesey winner Ghofar.
His charitable trusts are still raising money for good causes.
A great character indeed
The mention of Blagrave’s name brings back memories.
I grew up in the early 70s about a mile away from Blagrave’s house in Linkenholt, Hampshire and remember meeting him on several occasions. He was somewhat intimidating to a ten-year-old !
I think he owned much of the village and he hosted a charity cricket match each summer at which I remember one year seeing soccer players Peter Osgood and Mick Channon as well as jockeys Jimmy Lindley and, I think, Brian Taylor.
As I recall Rymer was his best but I remember Red Brigand as one of his favorites.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the post so far – fascinating!
Continuing in a similar vein, there was a trainer also around in the 70’s, F. Maxwell – did he have an unusual forename, Farnham? I seem to remember he had the odd decent horse and also a Waugh, based in Newmarket, who trained a few for Stanhope Joel at the same time. I’m sure the list can go on, small-scale trainers from this era who, nevertheless, came up with some useful horses.
Re. Rymer, I see that he was rated 121 by TF at the end of his 4YO season, having beaten Giacometti in the Brigadier Gerard.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the post so far – fascinating!
Continuing in a similar vein, there was a trainer also around in the 70’s, F. Maxwell – did he have an unusual forename, Farnham? I seem to remember he had the odd decent horse and also a Waugh, based in Newmarket, who trained a few for Stanhope Joel at the same time. I’m sure the list can go on, small-scale trainers from this era who, nevertheless, came up with some useful horses.
William Farnham (Freddie) Maxwell was born in Ireland in 1905 but came to the UK as a youth and rode a few winners over flat and NH rules. He volunteered for the RAF during WW2.
After a few years as an Assistant Trainer he set up in the mid-50’s and had his first major win with Pandofell who won the Queen’s Prize, Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Doncaster Cup for him.
He had a good touch with stayers. Fighting Charlie won 2 Ascot GC’s, Alto Volante won a Yorkshire Cup and Horse Radish won a Northumberland Plate.
At the other end of the scale he trained Cawston’s Pride who was Champion 2-Y-O Filly in 1970 (unbeaten in 7 races) and Merry Madcap who won a July Cup.
Cawston’s Pride was a good broodmare before her untimely death getting Cawston’s Clown and Solinus who both won the Coventry Stakes.
Freddie retired in 1977. I’m afraid I don’t know when de died.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the post so far – fascinating!
and also a Waugh, based in Newmarket, who trained a few for Stanhope Joel at the same time. I’m sure the list can go on, small-scale trainers from this era who, nevertheless, came up with some useful horses.
Thomas Alexander Waugh (1915-1999) was part of a racing dynasty.
His father and elder brother also trained with some success. He was also cousin to Frank and Fred Butters.
He won a Free Handicap and 2000 Guineas with Privy Councillor, a Palace House with Heavenly Sound, a Northumberland Plate with Tartar Prince, Privy Seal was a top hurdler, Photo Flash was 2nd in a !000 Guineas, and Rose Dubarry was Champion 2-Y-O Filly of 1971 after winning Lowther and Flying Childers Stakes. She was third behind Waterloo in the 1000 Guineas.
Tom had a few good handicap winners after that but never really hit the heights again.
He trained at the Jim Joel owned Sefton Lodge yard from 1968 and always had a few for the family but the cream of the crop usually went to Noel Murless and then Henry Cecil.
He retired from training in 1980 and died on 22 February 1999.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.