Derby-winning trainer Roger Charlton to hand over license

Derby-winning trainer Roger Charlton to hand over license over to his son Harry Roger Charlton: Beckhampton Maestro started in 1990 Roger Charlton, who has been a mainstay of the fabric of British flat racing since he won the Derby in his first season with Quest For Fame in 1990, revealed on Sunday that he will retire from training at the end of the season. Charlton is based at the historic Beckhampton Estate, where he took over from former boss Jeremy Tree. his son Harry, 37, will start training in 2024.

   Speaking about Luck on Racing TV on Sunday, Charlton, 73, said: “We had a joint license and I spoke to Harry about whether it was the right approach and we thought, that it is, but I think that now, because he is very experienced, very. able and “I think it is better for Beckhampton to have a bit of a younger image, so we thought that season [revocation of the license] was sensible thing to do. It was just a coincidence where and I managed to call all the owners. “I don’t go anywhere. I’ve been there 45 years and suddenly I don’t get up in the morning. I like to do it. I like horses and I like to go around the stables in the evening and go. down. . and mow the lawn with a tractor.” Charlton enjoyed victories in the Sprint Cup (Tamarisk and Tante Rose) and Prix de l’Abbaye (Patavellian and Avonbridge) before Cityscape entered the Dubai Land Zone in 2012 under James Doyle. Then Al Kazeem, a frequent Group 1 winner, entered the race.

   Wiltshire yard, Thistle Bird, Quest For More and Decorated Knight were other scorers. In recent times, the widely regarded Charlton has dined at the front table with Aspetar and Kvadratero, while his best season came in 2017 when he dispatched 65 home winners and bagged £1,246,913 in prize money. He has coached some of the sport’s biggest names, including Khalid Abdullah, whose colors were carried by Quest For Fame, and the late Queen Elizabeth II, but last month he lamented the loss of a number of high-profile patrons and said numbers . stable had shrunk.

   A former amateur jockey who beat Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir in the Pride Of Kentucky Cheltenham in 1969, he spent time in Australia before working for a stockbroking firm in Hong Kong which led to a move back to Britain for training. the error was caught again. He bought Windsor House in Lambourn in 1975 and had a pool for horses, which attracted Tree’s attention.

   Three years later, Charlton sold Windsor House to Nicky Henderson and moved to Beckhampton to help Tree, who enjoyed the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1985 with Rainbow Quest. More than 1,000 winners have been recorded since taking over from Charlton and nobody has ridden them more than Steve Drowne, who was quick to salute his ally on Sunday. “Above all, he was always a gentleman to ride,” she said. “He had a lot of patience with horses.

   Quite often he would find a two-year-old who could be considered Royal Ascot material, but Roger could take his time and get rid of him and most of the time he was right. “I was with Mick Channon but I started riding To Roger and got the odd ride, but Tim Sprake, who was riding him regularly at the time, was injured in a car accident and I got a few more rides. Before I knew it, I was riding most of the stronger ones, which was amazing.

   Now a BHA trustee, Drowne added: “Patavellian was appreciated in the 60s when Roger got him and won four bounces, then the Stewards’ Cup and the Abbey. He was great at planning and always had a plan for every horse. .