'He could turn them out fresh week after week and they'd win' - trainer Eric Wheeler dies at 85

Eric Wheeler, a "master" trainer who won 25 races with the sprinter Dancing Mystery, has died at the age of 85.

He sent out around 150 winners and spent all of his life in racing, serving as head lad to Stan Mellor and working for Jack Colling and Dick Hern before taking out his licence.

Initially based in Stoke, Wheeler sent out his first winner in 1986 when Burley Hill Lass won a selling hurdle at Southwell before spells in Lambourn (twice), Whitchurch-on-Thames and Burbage.

His biggest success came in the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon in 1992 with Green Dollar but Wheeler's most notable horse was probably Dancing Mystery, who raced an astonishing 198 times. Besides his 25 wins, he was placed at Group level and in Dubai.

Dancing Mystery: won 25 races for Eric WheelerCredit: Edward Whitaker

Wheeler, who sent out his final runner in 2017, enjoyed bringing on young jockeys, including Stephen Carson, David Kinsella, Alan Daly, David Harrison and Joey Haynes.

Paying tribute on Wednesday, Daly said: "It's very sad news. He was a legend and he got me going in racing. Without Eric I probably wouldn't even have become a jockey.

"I was at Paul Cole's and he put me in contact with Bill Turner to get me going and I rode over 20 winners for Eric. He helped me with all the basics, like sorting out all my tax affairs, which you don't really know you have to do when you're starting out. He set me on the path to becoming a successful jockey."

He added: "Eric was very passionate about his racing, he loved it. He'd give you a serious bollocking if you got things wrong then five minutes later it was forgotten. He could train any horse but especially sprinters, he was a master with them and he could turn them out fresh week after week and they'd win."

Trainer Patrick Chamings, who took over What A Welcome on Wheeler's retirement and won eight races with the horse, said: "Eric was a racing man through and through. He worked for Dick Hern as I did and he was a genuine horseman."

ERIC WHEELER CV

Full name Eric Archibald Wheeler

Born April 19, 1938

Head lad to Stan Mellor

Stables Stoke-on-Trent 1985-86, Lambourn 1986-93, Whitchurch-on-Thames 1996-2009, Lambourn 2009-15, Burbage 2015-17

First winner Burley Hill Lass, selling hurdle, Southwell, May 5, 1986

Great St Wilfrid Handicap winner Green Dollar (1992)

Other notable winners Sharpalto (1990 Ronaldshay Cup Handicap (Redcar), Green Dollar (1991 Tokyo Trophy Handicap (Epsom), Lawrence Batley Handicap (York),1992 Bretby Handicap (Newmarket)), Dancing Mystery (25 wins 1997-2007 including 2001 Tote Exacta Handicap (Ascot))

Last winner Malih, Brighton, June 23, 2015

Most wins in a season 16 in 1999

Died May 26, 2023, aged 85
Compiled by John Randall