Roger and Harry Charlton: The couple became officially engaged last year Roger Charlton backed his son Harry to succeed at the historic Beckhampton base on Sunday following the news that the Derby-winning trainer will give up his share of his joint license at the end of the season. The widely respected Charlton, who insisted he would not relinquish day-to-day duties, made his training debut in 1990 when he saddled Quest For Fame to win the Derby and Sanglamore to win the Prix du Jockey Club Month. after replacing then boss Jeremy Tree at the famous Wiltshire estate, home to countless classic heroes and once home to racing royalty Fred Darling and Noel Murless. The 73-year-old continued his high-profile career at Patavellian, Avonbridge, Cityscape, Al Kazeem, Decorated Knight and most recently Quadrangle and last year he officially met his eldest son.
Harry Al Kazeem: Charlton star Credit: Edward Whitaker That partnership ends, at least on paper, in 2024 and Charlton snr said: “We’ve only had a joint license for a few years. It wasn’t a recent decision, it’s always been part of the program and I think the time is right. “I don’t think much will change, but I hope we can attract more owners and probably form unions and have more multi-owner models. “The structure and management of the place will not change, but Harry deserves the opportunity to get. runners in his name, even though I’m not going anywhere, I still get up in the morning and help him in any way I can.”
Charlton has trained for some of the sport’s biggest names, including Khalid Abdullahi’s Juddmonte operation, who competed in Quest For Fame and Sanglamore, the late Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Rothschild, who died in 2019. transparency,” added the winner of more than 1,400 races. . “More horses are coming to it, and I think the way forward in racing has to be much more multi-owned, rather than waiting to get support from big owner-breeders, which I think is a bit more of the past.
“Harry is very good with people and I think it’s an image thing we had to change. We’re open for business and Beckhampton is a special place that needs to be put on display. “It doesn’t hurt me [coming off the licence] and it doesn’t feel any different, while the hard work won’t stop – I’m not retiring. “I think when Jeremy brought me in as his assistant in 1978 he needed someone to help and get more owners, and have a younger image – they were his words – and, without Harry doing it, one would wonder how long we would survive.” In his 37-year-old son, Charlton, who won the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir at the Cheltenham Festival on Pride Of Kentucky in 1969 as an amateur rider, feels he has a rounded, talented operator to continue Beckhampton’s legacy.
Beckhampton has a rich history”We’re both capable of doing 100 per cent of the job,” he said. “So when one of us was away selling or racing, everything went like clockwork. Horse training is mostly common sense, although a lot of it is gut and not written. “If something has been around for 200 years like Beckhampton has a responsibility. to keep it, hopefully he can do it.” Steve Drowne has scored more winners for Charlton than anyone else and was quick to praise his former ally.
“Above all, he’s always been the gentleman he drives for,” he said Sunday morning. – He had a lot of patience with horses. Quite often you can find a two-year-old who you think could be Royal Ascot material, but Roger was able to take his time and put him aside, and more often than not, he was right. “I was with Mick Channon but I started riding for Roger and got the odd ride, but Tim Sprake, who was riding regularly with him at the time, was injured in a car accident and I got a few more rides. I rode most of the rope, which was beautiful.”
Now a BHA trustee, Drowne added: “Patavellian was appreciated in the 60s when Roger got hold of 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. .
