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Peter Walwyn was at the top of his profession when I was just becoming interested in horses/racing in the mid-70’s. Multiple classic winner and Champion trainer in 1974 and 75. Won what’s often said to be the race of the century when his Derby winner Grundy beat Bustino in a remarkable King George.
Latterly President of the West Berkshire Racing Club I was a member of. I had the pleasure of “Captaining” the great man in our four man quiz team. A real one off character.
RIP
Value Is EverythingDeep in the darkest recesses of my rapidly diminishing memory, I recall Walwyn telling that perennial sore loser Daniel Wildenstein to do one when the owner wanted him to fire Pat Eddery following the jockey’s ride on Buckskin in the 1978 Ascot Gold Cup.
PTW lost 25 horses but retained his integrity.
A top man.
He gave Pat Eddery some very good winners, sad loss
All comers, all ground, all beaten
Another racing great departs this vale of tears . Sad .
A master trainer of the old school who struck up a very good partnership with Pat Eddery . Joe Mercer , of course , rode for him too .
We all know how good Grundy was but perhaps the easiest winner he ever trained was the 1970 1,000 Guineas winner , Humble Duty , who won that classic , ridden by Lester Piggott , in an absolute hack canter . Still the easiest winnerof that classic race I’ve seen . If you haven’t seen it , do yourself a favour and check it out on YouTube .
RIP Mr Walwyn OBE
Gambling Only Pays When You're Winning
As others have said, a very sad loss.
My thoughts are with his friends and family.
A true gent who handled both success and failure in the same way.Was always the first yard I’d look at in a newly purchased Horses In Training – does not mean I prefer the flat over the jumpers, but the book is published at the start of the flat season and the jumping strings listed are a going to be a lot different going into the new season.
Some names under the history radar that conjure up memories:
Red Rufus – ran in the Captain McCalmont colours. Finished runner up in the Extel handicap.
Kampala – same ownership, went from handicapper to Hungerford winner to sire of Tony Bin.
Saros – ran in the Grundy colours. Went from finishing second to The Minstrel in the Dewhurst, to winning the City and Suburban as a four year old.
Illustrious Prince – ran in the Mrs V Hue Williams colours ( reverse of her husbands), and was closely related to the family’s Irish Derby winner English Prince. Was the second string in the 1976 Derby and finished unplaced.
Night Before – was for a very short period ante post favourite for the 1977 Derby after winning a maiden in 1976( such as the status of the yard). Pulled up BBV and ended up standing as a stallion in New Zealand.
Sporting Yankee – owned by William Hill Bookmakers. Won the William Hill Futurity ( Oberserver Gold Cup, Racing Post Trophy), the Craven, but never went on from there.
Formidable – arguably the best horse that has run in the Goulandrais colours. Won the Middle Park but connections messed up not seeming to know his best trip – they even ran him in Shirley Height’s Derby. Eventually, seven furlongs turned out to be ideal.I saw him beat Boldboy in the John O’Gaunt.
New Berry – beat Niniski in the 1979 Glasgow. Unplaced in Troy’s Derby and ended up winning the Roseberry as a four year old.
Bolak – beat Shirley Heights in the Solario as a two year old. Writing on the wall for him when fancied but well beaten in the Classic Trial at Sandown behind Whitshead and Shirley Height. Also ended up at stud in New Zealand.
Vitiges – had been placed behind Wollow in the 2,000 Guineas when trained in France.Transferred to Walwyn, he won the Champion Stakes at the end of the season.
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