SIR HENRY CECIL - RACEHORSE TRAINER 

SIR HENRY Cecil has enjoyed an outstanding career since taking out a licence to train in 1969. That year Wolver Hollow registered an Eclipse Stakes victory and success after success at the top level has followed. 

In 2011 Cecil received recognition for his tremendous achievements as a trainer when he was given a knighthood.

His record in domestic classics is better than any other current trainer with Cecil’s 2011 champion Frankel providing him with his 25^th domestic Classic winner, via the 2000 Guineas. He has landed the Derby, racing’s blue riband, on four separate occasions, while he has saddled a record-equalling eight Oaks winners (the latest being Light Shift in 2007) – an exceptional achievement. 

The 2000 and 1000 Guineas have also come his way – as has the St Leger. Indeed, he has secured victory on at least two occasions in all three of those Classics. 

No less than 10 times Cecil has emerged from a season as the champion trainer. It is hardly a surprise, then, that he has trained for many of racing’s biggest and most high-profile owners. 

After a quiet spell, Cecil enjoyed a welcome return to the limelight in 2006 with Multidimensional providing a Group 2 victory at Deauville before Passage Of Time rounded off an encouraging season with a Group 1 triumph – also in France.

Since then Cecil’s string has gone from strength to strength and he is now back where he used to be, the top.

The 2011 season was Cecil’s best for 10 years. He saddled 55 winners; accumulated prize money of over £2.7million and his strike rate of 20% was among the highest.

Frankel proved to be the star everyone dreamed he would be and finished the season unbeaten in nine starts and the top-rated racehorse in the world. His stunning 2000 Guineas victory, Cecil’s 36^th in Classic company, counting those won abroad, was one of the most visually impressive performances ever.

Cecil holds the record for the most wins at Royal Ascot and he took that tally to 73 when Frankel stormed to success in the St James’s Palace Stakes.

Frankel’s subsequent wins in the Sussex Stakes and in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes ensured that he will go down as one of the greatest racehorses of all time. It was no surprise when the colt was unveiled as Cartier Horse of the Year at the prestgious awards in November, 2011.

Midday became Sir Henry’s most prolific Group 1 winner to date when taking her third consecutive Nassau Stakes at Goodwood in July. The daughter of Oasis Dream has now been retired and heads to the paddocks with six Group 1s and over £2.2million in prize money to her name.

Twice Over’s victory over Midday in the 2011 Juddmonte International at York will go down as one of Sir Henry’s best days as a trainer as the son of Observatory provided his owner Khalid Abdulla with a first win in the Group 1 that he has sponsored for over 20 years Timepiece, who landed the Falmouth Stakes at Newmarket in July, also recorded a win at the highest level in 2011.

“I love training - it is a way of life,” says Cecil. “I’ve had a certain amount of success and don’t see why that shouldn’t continue.”

Henry has trained at Warren Place since 1976, taking over from Sir Noel Murless. It is an exceptional training base than has stabled many greats of the Turf in the last 30 years. But few - if any - of the horses that have resided there, have been able to lay claim to the same legendary status that their trainer can.