Noel Murless Quiz: to educate, exasperate and hopefully enjoy

Noel Murless retired 40 years ago. Although I was a Dick Hern groupie I know I always felt Murless was the best trainer of that time. I would still place him at the head of the trainers who trained horses during my lifetime.
Murless seemed to aim to do 2 things. One was to train horses to win the big races, especially the classics. The second was to ensure his owner-breeders prospered by testing and trying to win with their fillies. He wasn't much interested in the bread and butter part of racing.

Q1.
Murless was the master of Warren Place but before that where did he train and who replaced him at those stables? (2 points)

Q2.
In 1951 he trained 45 winners and in 1952 he trained 47. One jockey rode all of those wins: who was he? (2 points)

Q3
Murless's last Derby winner was Royal Palace. In what race did he make his debut? (2 points)

Q4
Murless trained for Jim Joel but also his cousin Stanhope. In 1959 a horse in Murless's stable was sold to Stanhope who later won a big handicap for his new owner. In the next 2 seasons this colt won a big race at the July Newmarket meeting before retiring to stud. Who was the colt and what race did he win at Newmarket twice? (2 points)

Q5
The colt was a moderate success at stud but did sire a horse Murless trained to win the Nassau Stakes, Prix Vermeille and King George and QE Stakes. What was the name of the racehorse? (2 points)

Q6
Famously George Moore became Murless's stable jockey for the 1967 season. But what was the first winner he rode for Murless? (2 points)

Q7
Sandy Barclay followed Moore as stable jockey. In what year did he ride his first winner for Murless and in what year did he ride his last winner for him? (2 points)

Q8
Here are all the wins of a Murless trained horse: which horse and who owned him? July Stakes, Prix Jean Prat, Prix Prince Chevalier, Prix de la Fouillouse, Prix Quincey, Prix Foy, Champion Stakes.(2 Points).

Q9
Who rode Murless's last winner (1 Point)

Q10
What was Murless's last Classic winner? (1 point). In which Irish Classic was this racehorse the defeated favourite and which horse won the race? (2 points).

Q11
In 1968 Walter Nightingall retired and his leading owner sent his horses to Peter Walwyn and Murless. Who was the owner (2 ponts) and in what year (2 points) and with what horse (1 point) did Murless train his first winner for his new owner?

As regards points, it's first come first served. But I might not give all answers until tomorrow. 25 points but anywhere near 20 would be impressive.

Good luck

 

Crikey I have no idea except I think Piggott rode for Murless before George Moore so that's my guess for Q2

 

4 is Primera and 5 is Aunt Edith.
1 Beckhampton, Gordon Richards

 

I refuse to resort to Googling (it's the only way I could get any more)

 

Is 1 Henry Cecil?
11. Could be Dorothy Paget?
8. Defoe Lorenzaccio

 

5 is Primera
7 is 66 to about 71, I know Geoff Lewis replaced him, is that worth a point?

 

Last classic winner Mysterious?

 

Good answer. Put to the sword by Dahlia in the Irish Oaks.

Bit unfair this as I am one of the few on here that was actually born at the time lol

 

1. Beckhampton. 2. Jeremy Tree
2. Gordon Richards?
3. Royal Lodge Stakes ?
4. Primera
5. Aunt Edith
6. Fleet?
7. 1968. 1969
8. Can't remember. Guess Royal Avenue
9. No idea. Guess Bill Rickaby.
10. Unsure but was it Mysterious who then was beaten by Dahlia in Irish Oaks.
11. Louis Freedman. Year- when Polygamy won Oaks 1972? First winner..Pass!

 

3. Coventry

That's my lot. Well done Tam, sure you have mopped up a few there.

 

Well done to everyone

1. Beckhampton and Jeremy Tree
2. Gordon Richards
3. Coventry Stakes
4. Primera
5. Aunt Edirth
6.Petite Etoile in the Free Handicap of 1959
7.1967 (when he was 2nd jockey) and 1976
8.Lorenzaccio
9. Lester Piggott
10. Mysterious who was beaten by Dahlia in the Irish Oaks
11.Louis Freedman was the oner and the partnership got off to a start in 1971 (he was slower than Walwyn but the relationship led to Cecil training Reference Point) and the forgotten first winner was Abwah

 

Oh bollocks. Even got Gordon Richards wrong

Good quiz Bustino. Thanks for compiling

 

Very good quiz, Bustino. My old books are on a bottom shelf at the back. Was too bloody lazy to battle my way to them and fish them out. Doubt if I would have got any right though; Tamerlo did very well.

 

Tam 8 points
Stick 5 points
Gladness 2 points

Nobody got Petite Etoile, nobody got Barclay's first and last (I was surprised about the last), nobody got Lester, and the year of Abwah's victory was always going to be difficult.

I guess the Moore riding Petite Etoile thing came about because Moore was the Khan's jockey in France and Piggott wasn't available. Something like that..