Legendary champion jockey Lester Piggott and multiple champion trainer Sir Michael Stoute were among those who contributed to a very special night for Pat Rohan in Malton on Saturday.

As trips down memory lane go, Rohan’s golden wedding celebration at the Talbot Hotel – the same venue which staged his wedding reception half-a-century ago – resurrected a whole host of happy memories for the former Norton trainer.

Rohan scaled heady heights during the peak of his training career, which had begun a year before he was married when he took over the licence at the famous Grove Cottage yard in Norton, following the death of Bill Dutton, who would have become his father-in-law.

Invited guests included some of Ryedale’s finest: Edward Hide, the long-time ‘Cock O’ the North’, who rode his first winner – a horse fittingly named Dutton; Johnny Seagrave and Geoff Oldroyd, both former stable-jockeys; and Richard Fahey and Jimmy Quinn, who were both app-renticed to Rohan, following a path I had trodden several years previously.

Pat Rohan was my first boss, and five years at Grove Cottage, which was then one of the best yards in the north of England, working for a colourful character like Rohan, was never dull, that’s for sure.

Likewise, last Saturday night’s proceedings were far from dull.

Dave Morris, a Newmarket trainer of recent years, and yet another ex-Rohan apprentice, regaled tales of horses like Sovereign Bill and plenty others to a party which, apart from family and friends, included a large swathe of former stable-staff. Men like ‘Bradford Bill’ Ellis, the chief work-rider, who was associated with speedsters like Lady Jester and Royal Ascot winner Lush Park.

Others included Eric Bromilow, a regular rider for Rohan over many years, Louis Pinder, Ivan Highmoor, Derek Garraton, Peter Concannon, Billy Stevens, Tony Raistrick, John Bottomley, Johnny Ives, Ronnie Green and Tony Wragg, who had worked tirelessly with Rohan to make this night something to remember.

It was certainly that. Letters were read out from Sir Michael Stoute, a pupil-assistant to Rohan in the mid-1960s, recalling his fond memories of his time at Grove Cottage, and also from Lester Piggott, whose strong association with the yard included winning July Cups for Rohan on Right Boy (1959) and on Tin Whistle (1960).

Piggott also won the 1959 Nunthorpe Stakes at York on Right Boy for Rohan, who won Knavesmire’s most notable sprint again in 1964 with Althrey Don, the mount of Russ Maddock.

Rohan, whose training exploits also embraced two Cork And Orrery Stakes at Royal Ascot and a Brown Jack Stakes, sent out 52 winners in 1968, which, that year, enabled him to top the numerical table in Britain.

Long since retired from training, after ending his career in the Middle East, Rohan enjoyed every second of this get-together.

“It was great to see so many friends,” he said. “And there were people present who were at Grove Cottage in the 1950s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, which was marvellous.”

Perhaps the biggest reception – apart from the one which greeted Rohan’s impromptu speech, which was typically hilarious – was reserved for Jimmy Quinn. The Newmarket Flat jockey, having taken his son to Aintree for the Grand National, then travelled to Wolverhampton’s evening meeting and, after riding a winner, dashed north to arrive in Malton well before proceedings had drawn to a close.

“I had to be here. Pat put me on the right road,” said Quinn.

Rohan said: “I well remember Jimmy Quinn and Richard Fahey arriving from Ireland as apprentices at Grove Cottage with one suitcase between them – and look at them now and what they’ve achieved.”

A memorable occasion, staged on the night of the Grand National, also had an underlying sense of history. With many still talking about the big-race success of Mon Mome at 100-1, it went almost without saying that a similar happening had occurred in 1928 when Tipperary Tim scored at identical odds. The rider? Bill Dutton, father of Mary Rohan, and Pat’s mentor and famed predecessor at Grove Cottage.



Brooklyn Brownie, alas, got no further than the second fence in last Saturday’s Grand National, thus ending the dream of a long-awaited Ryedale-trained winner of the great race in a matter of seconds after the 40 runners were finally sent on their way.

Trainer Malcolm Jefferson, while disappointed that his first-ever National runner failed to get a proper crack of the whip, was nevertheless relieved the gelding emerged virtually unscathed.

“He had a tiny cut on his eyelid, but other than that, he was perfectly okay,” said the Norton trainer.

“He jumped the first fence fine, but he got the second all wrong and that was it – all over, which is typical of what can happen in a National.”

Jockey Phil Kinsella, having his first ride in the race, was unhurt.

Later on in the card, Jefferson came nail-bitingly close to figuring in the winners’ enclosure with Issaquah, who, having looked sure to win jumping the final flight of hurdles in the two-miles handicap under James Halliday, was pipped on the post by Culcabock.

All in all, Aintree presented Jefferson with a sense of frustration and, in one particular case – the fatal fall of the highly-regarded Moscow Catch – a sense of acute sadness. Cape Tribulation, Tot O’Whiskey and Calatagan McMurrough were among those from the yard who, despite running creditably to a point, failed to find the winners’ enclosure.



Character Building, forced out of the Grand National a week or so before the race after injuring a foot, will not be ready to seek compensation in the Irish Grand Natio-nal at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.

Trainer John Quinn, having been forced to give the gelding plenty of time to recover from his injury, is now toying with the idea of trying to aim him at the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on Saturday week.



Tim Easterby got off the mark for the Flat season at Catterick last week when Malcheek did the business under David Allan, who had spent a particularly fruitful winter in India, where he gained three classic wins.

Malcheek had not managed to win at all in 2008, but the style of his recent success suggests he is firmly back on song and is a horse to follow, certainly for the time being.

Brian Ellison was also on the mark at Catterick with Overrule, a comfortable winner under Graham Gib-bons. He also looks a horse to keep on the right side in the coming weeks.

At Musselburgh on Friday, there was further success for local trainers. Paul Midgley struck with Nomoreblondes, the mount of Jamie Moriarty, while Geoff Oldroyd hit the target with Just Bond, ridden by PJ McDonald.

Richard Fahey is another trainer with his runners well forward. The Malton handler completed a double at Newcastle last Saturday with Mister Hardy, who followed up his opening Doncaster success a week earlier, this time at the main expense of his stable-mate Fishforcompli-ments, and Herera, who comfortably made the staying handicap her own. Freddie Tylicki and Paul Hanagan were the winning pilots.

Fahey followed up with another double at Wolverhampton on Monday, courtesy of Rossini’s Dancer and the juvenile Eight Hours. The former, winner of the amateur riders’ handicap, was a first success under Rules for Ben Hamilton – younger brother of Ryedale Flat jockey Tony – who is attached to Fahey’s Malton stable.

“Ben is a very good rider who is worth his weight in gold in the yard. I am chuffed for him that he’s ridden a winner,” said Fahey.