Lady Herries, 76 Dies
Lady Herries, trainer of Celtic Swing (GB) (Damister) and Sheriff’s Star (GB) (Posse), has died, aged 76. Based at Angmering Park, in West Sussex, Lady Herries was renowned as a fine judge of equine talent and was married to the late England cricket star Colin Cowdrey, who died in 2000. She leaves three sisters.
She enjoyed her first success at the highest level with the grey Sheriff’s Star in the 1989 G1 Coronation Cup at Epsom and won the 1998 G1 Caulfield Cup in Australia with Taufan’s Melody (GB) (Taufan). Lady Herries will, however, perhaps be best remembered by the exploits of Celtic Swing.
Owned by Peter Savill, the colt was a devastating winner of the G1 Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 1994, slamming Annus Mirabilis (Fr) (Warning {GB}) by 12 lengths in what remains one of the great performances by a 2-year-old. On just his second start as a youngster he was eight lengths too good for Singspiel (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}) at Ascot. He went on to be beaten a head by Pennekamp (Bering {GB})in the G1 2000 Guineas the following season before winning the G1 Prix Du Jockey Club (French Derby), running at Chantilly in preference to Epsom. His last start came when eighth to Winged Love (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}) in the G1 Irish Derby at The Curragh.
Savill said, “I only found out she had been ill for some time Monday, so it’s a very sad day. She was a wonderful lady and I spent many happy days with her and Colin Cowdrey. She actually trained two Group 1 winners for me, which in itself was a fine achievement. River North (Ire) (Lomond) progressed considerably from where he had been when he was younger to win the G1 Aral Pokal in Germany, beating Monsun (Ger) (Konigsstuhl).”
“Then Celtic Swing came along,” added Savill. “That day at Doncaster and the French Derby were wonderful, but his second run at Ascot in the Hyperion [Conditions S.] will also live with me for a long time. He beat Singspiel, who nobody realized would have been as good as he was, by eight lengths, pulling up and breaking the track record in the process. He was obviously an exceptional horse, but I’m sure he wouldn’t have achieved all he had done without Lady Herries.”
Concluded Savill, “He didn’t have the best confirmation and she nursed him along extremely well, always looking after the best interests of the horse. I always had total confidence in her as a trainer.”
Trainer William Knight operates from Lower Coombe Stables, with full use of the Angmering estate made famous by Lady Herries.
Knight said, “She had been poorly for a while and had been in and out of hospital. She was a very kind and generous lady, who welcomed me to Angmering Park when I came down to start training nine years ago. She was always there for a bit of advice when needed. Everyone round here will be missing her because she was a lovely lady and a good trainer.”
Kevin Darley revealed he is in Lady Herries’ debt for not only did he ride Celtic Swing in all his seven starts, but River North’s victory in Germany provided him with his maiden Group 1 triumph.
“It’s very sad news indeed,” said the retired former champion Flat jockey. “Celtic Swing was probably the horse that launched my career. I went down to Lady Anne’s to look at another horse and I said to her what a nice-looking horse Celtic Swing was. I had a sit on him and Peter Savill bought both horses.
Darley added, “Lady Anne was unique. She loved her horses and could give them that individual treatment they needed. She gave me my first Group 1 winner in River North when he won the Aral Pokal in 1994. We bought him out of Sir Michael Stoute’s yard on the recommendation of Maxine Cowdrey [former jockey and daughter-in-law of Colin Cowdrey].”
Classic-winning jockey Ray Cochrane also enjoyed great success for Lady Herries, including partnering Taufan’s Melody and Sheriff’s Star to Group 1 glory.
“I rode lots of nice winners for her,” said Cochrane. “They were always tough, always ran to the line and were always honest–just like herself. She was always great fun–win lose or draw.”