Today a filly called Zingana makes her 2yo debut. She has a reasonable, if not outstanding, pedigree being by Zamindar out of a Hernando mare. What is eyecatching is the name of the owner and the colours she is running in. The owner in question is Lord Astor and the colours will be those of his famous forebears pale blue with pink sashes (in the days of black and white television they looked white). To those who remember 60s racing on television Clive Graham would read off the jockey's board more often than not announcing that horse 1, so and so, was to be ridden by J Mercer (that being because horses numbers on the racecard (maidens and stakes races) were assigned in the alphabetical order of the owners names, with the exception that the Queen's runners in these races always topped the list: as Hern [Astor's trainer} also trained for the Queen from 1967 Mercer became associated with being number one on the racecard). The Astors were once one of the most powerful names in British racing and breeding. Fabulously rich at the time, the 1st Viscount Astor bought a couple of mares very cheaply and established the Astor Studs. The 2nd Viscount had enormous success winning many classics (but never the Derby) and top class races with a seies of horses that traced back to these foundation mares Conjure and Chelandry. His last great horse was Court Martial, who was reckoned a very good 2000G winner, but who failed (3rd) in the 1945 Derby behind Dante (he subsequently won the Champion Stakes, and had beaten Dante in the Guineas). He was a fine sire and champion twice before being purchased by some US breeders. In 1950 the 2nd Viscount decided to divide equally his racing and breeding operation between his eldest son Bill (the to be 3rd Lord Astor) and his youngest son Jakie (they tossed a coin and chose between all stock alternatively). Bill had an early success when Ambiguity (apprentice ridden) won the 1953 Oaks (tracing like Court Martial back to Conjure). In the 50s his best colt was Hornbeam, who today would win a pile of races as the stable would run pacemakers but who was often the bridesmaid but never the bride (from the Conjure family he went on to be an outstanding sire, especially of broodmares). In the 60s Bill had the very well-known stayer Grey of Falloden (tracing back to a third foundation mare, Maid in the Mist). Grey of Falloden was a gelding, but otherwise would have probably won a couple of Ascot Gold Cups (he won the Cesarawitch in 1964 carrying a then record top-weight). In Bill's last year he had an unraced Mossborough colt called Craighouse (tracing back to Conjure) who won the Wood Ditton Stakes, the Newmarket Stakes and finally the Irish St. Leger from only 4 starts. Expected to be a cup horse the next year, he raced only once as the then insidious virus hit Dick Hern's stable. He was sold as a stallion to Russia. Worse still Bill Astor died and his horse interests were sold off mostly to the US but much of the racing stock to Lord Rotherwick. His stud, the Cliveden stud, was sold to a racing newcomer in Louis Freedman. Meanwhile Jakie Astor plowed his own furrow and was one of the greatest benefactors and agents for good in British racing. His mares resided at his home stud in Sandy or at the Warren Stud in Newmarket (Dick Hern claimed that Jakie's horses were never as sound as his brothers and that the problem was the land his stud stood on). He had a number of good horses but the one that got away was Trelawny, whom he sold a young horse. However from Trelawney's half sister he bred the 1965 St Leger winner Provoke (Conjure family). Again Provoke's 4yo career was devastated by the virus. Bill's death spared him the return of the virus in 1968 and 1969 which decimated Hern's stable in that the horses hardly ever ran and when they did they more often than not disappointed. But during this time he did have an excellent colt in Remand, who was an unbeaten 2yo and won his Derby Trial, beating Connaught while giving him weight. As many will know Remand turned up at the Derby a very sick horse and could only finish 4th, while Connaught lost by a length to Sir Ivor. Hern said afterwards that Remand was the unluckiest horse he ever trained. He certainly didn't think that Sir Ivor's supremacy was the natural way of things. The ravages of the virus dealt a body blow to Astor's horses and in 1974 he more than halved his racing interests. He still had good horses winning the Irish 2000G and Prix Jean Prat with Sharp Edge and the St. Leger with Cut Above, but the spark was gone. In 1970 he sold the West Isley stables to Sir Michael Sobell and Lord Weinstock, and by 1995 he was effectively out of racing. He died in 2000. Now in 2011 Bill's son appears to have taken an interest in a horse: nothing more and nothing less. But maybe some success will rekindle in an interest for the Astor family, who in their time were one of the great dynasties of the British Turf. Unlikely I know, as this appears a sporting punt putting a horse in training with Eve Johnson Haughton, but stranger things have happened, and the Astors were always sporting owners.
Superb Article, Bustino! You've recalled many memories for me (some forgotten- like Remand). My favourite uncle- who backed only Colling/Hern and Nightingall horses- believed that Remand 'could not lose the Derby' but in all honesty I didn't realise he was a 'sick horse.' I do remember Provoke- he ran away with the Leger in soft ground and showed the stamina that was the hallmark of Dick Hern's horses. The thing I remember most about Hern's charges is that Joe Mercer would always have them 'to the fore' and, especially at Newbury, once they led into the straight, you just knew you would get a run for your money. They would stay on like lions! Also, what a wonderful advert for the sport Joe Mercer was! A top jockey and a gentleman. You mentioned Grey Of Falloden and Trelawny. What great stayers they were- and how tragic that geldings could not run in the Ascot Gold Cup. Probably one of the most unfair aspects of horse racing at that time. When you see the rubbish that lines up today for the top staying races, it's a tragedy - simple as that! Another tragedy in a way was that Michael Sobell never won a Classic when Gordon Richards trained his horses- I think Dart Board came closest when third in the Derby. Further irony was that the best horse Gordon trained for Sobell, Reform, was never entered in the 2000 Guineas; likewise the best filly Gordon had, Greengage- who beat the Guineas winner , Night Off, in the Coronation, was never entered in the 1000 Guineas. Maybe Gordon just wasn't anywhere near as good a trainer as Dick Hern, and my old man reckoned he was very lucky to have Scobie Breasley as his stable jockey for years. Doubtless Scobie was second only to Lester Piggott and could have had a much better retainer elsewhere. Nonetheless, Scobie did ride regularly for Gordon Smyth, Arthur Budgett, Staff Ingham, John Benstead, Atty Corbett, etc, and had many winners for them.
Interesting your comment about Gordon Richards: in Peter Walwyn's autobiography he says that Richard's horses always looked the best in the paddock but that perhaps he was a bit too kind to them (Murless told his son-in-law to be a bit tougher on his horses on the gallops early in Cecil's career). There's no doubt he did little wrong with Reform, who as you say was never entered for the 2000G and they didn't have the late entry system they have now. Remand was a very good 2yo, winning the Solario and the Royal Lodge in a canter. He was probably Alcide's best son and as you say was strongly fancied for the Derby despite the presence of Sir Ivor. For some reason Hern didn't seem affected by the virus in '67 (Remand was a 2yo) but it came back even worse in '68. Hern describes his feelings as sickness at looking at Remand's coat in the Derby parade ring as it stood up like a hedgehog's. My own view (but you'd never prove it) was that Piggott felt Remand was the horse to beat and rode Sir Ivor to do that and nearly got caught out by Remand not firing (Piggott rode Remand in '67 due to Mercer being injured). He was never the same horse again. He was so sick after the Derby that Astor took him home, and he just stayed in a field. The virus hit him so badly that his feet became shelly and he couldn't take a shoe. He eventually appeared as a 4yo at the end of the next May and beat the previous year's Leger winner, but he wasn't the same and wasn't within a stone of his 2yo form. A great shame for Jakie. Other horses I could have added were Rosalba, who but for being born in the same year as a certain filly called Petite Etoile would have been a star filly, and a fantastic handicapper called Counsel (who was classy enough to win the Greenham). There were plenty more but lists get boring.
Yes, Gordon Richards' horses rarely won first time out- Reform lost his first three year old race (the Greenham to Nightingall's Play High) and was way off being fully wound up. Sad that Joe Mercer never won the Derby, especially since Willie Carson subsequently won three for Dick Hern. Personally I felt Carson was very lucky to enjoy all the success he enjoyed with Dick Hern. Yes, he was strong for his relatively light weight- and rowed away with hands and heels; but I thought Joe Mercer was a better jockey and that Carson was miles behind Piggott and Breasley. Fond memories, Bustino- thanks for the great Article!
Talking of old colours popping up again, students of the history of the game will no doubt be pleased to see the old Lord Glanely colours being carried with great success by Society rock. I have been familiar with these very distinctive silks (black with a red/blue/white sash - with a black cap and red/white/blue hoop) for some time as they are worn by the great Gordon Richards in a framed cigarette card collection which hangs on my wall. Society Rock is owned by Simon Gibson, who I believe is a great nephew of Lord Glanely. Glanely was a leading owner for many years between the wars, having made his fortune in shipping after starting out as a humble shipping clerk. He must have been a remarkable man and it is very sad that his life ended violently in a war-time bombing raid on Weston-super-Mare, of all places. There is no mistaking the familiar cap in a field of horses and you can almost imagine it being worn by Sir Gordon to another big-race victory.
Brilliant article and comments. A credit to the forum. May not be relevant and certainly not as interesting but this stroll down memory lane, especially the mention of Trelawny reminded me of two other stayers from the past, By Thunder and Zarathustra; don't know if they ring any bells. And I always used to look in the News Chronicle to see if the Ogbourne stable were tipping up anything as, when they did, they invariably won.
100-1!!!!!! I really hope you backed her Bustino. The trainer has a lot to live up to with all of her illustrious relatives (the Walwyns's as well as the Johnson Houghtons) but she has her moments.
You are right Fulkes, EVe J-H does a nice job and desrves better horses. Fulke J-H was of course a fine trainer and just seemed to get squeezed out when owners cut back. In the late 80s he was training for the Aga Khan and fairly successfully too, but lost everything when the Aga moved out of Britain. Some people forget and others won't know what he did in the late '60s and '70s. One of my picks I was proudest of was the 1978 KGVI&QE when on seeing them go down at Ascot that day I was adamant that Ile de Bourbon stood out on looks. Yes I had a small E-W investment on her, but in keeping with the article it was of my 60/70s proportions.
I know of By Thunder because he was related to Remand. By Thunder was a winner of the Ebor and the Yorkshire Cup, and ran in all sorts of races from 12-16f and ran well. He was by Nearco out of Vertencia and Jakie Astor bought into the family and had By Thunder's half sister Warning. She is famous for getting a wonderful colt by Persian Gulf called Persian War, who Astor sold at the end of his 3yo career (won twice for Jakie). Remand's dam was a half sister to Persian War.
Bustino, good morning. So glad you had a tickle on the filly. I've just read a lovely Article from the Free Library- concerning Eve's grandmother, Helen- who must have been quite a woman. Quite a read, but unfortunately I can't establish the link (It comes under "free library extract + Helen Johnson-Houghton+Century of Greatness").
Tam - as far as I am aware Helen Johnson Houghton is still with us. She turned 100 last year and there was a great article on her in the Racing Post at the time which I have kept. It may be the same one you are referring to. She is of course the twin sister of Fulke Walwyn.
I remember also being delighted when Ile de Bourbon won, Bustino. I was fortunate to have links with the yard at the time and he was certainly fancied. They were brilliant at judging their two year olds in particular and getting them ready first time. Plenty of fancied ones went in as I recall. It all started with Gordon Johnson Houghtin just after the war and he trained many winners for Dorothy Paget before his too-early death in the early 50's. His wife Helen took over but - it being the 1950s - could not get a trainers license and the horses were trained in the name of her head lad. Seems ridiculous now!
Fulkes, yes, she is 100 yrs and still with us. The article I read was, as stated above, from the Free Library extract- and quite fascinating! My main recollection of F. Johnson Houghton was his association with Lord Leverhulme; they always looked to have winners at Chester and Haydock. I think the Derby second, Hot Grove, was theirs.
Ribero, Ribofilio, Ribocco, Libra's Rib, Falcon, and Rose Bowl are the ones you can add to Hot Grove and Ile de Bourbon.
