'He had the patience of Stonehenge with horses' - popular Cheltenham Festival gamble trainer Martin Tate dies aged 99

Tributes have been paid to "legendary" and hugely popular Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Martin Tate following his death on Monday night. He was 99. 

Based near Kidderminster in Worcestershire, Tate enjoyed his finest hour with Rogers Princess, who landed a huge gamble in the 1989 Coral Golden Hurdle Final at the festival.

He won the same race with Water Colour in 1978, while Scot Lane won successive runnings of the National Hunt Handicap Chase in 1982 and 1983. 

Other notable horses he trained included 1978 Mackeson Gold Cup winner Bawnogues, 1985 Aintree Hurdle hero Bajan Sunshine and Flash Imp, who was third in the 1976 Champion Hurdle behind Night Nurse.

Having trained his first winner, Ballaroan, at Hereford in October 1953 after riding as an amateur, Tate sent out 458 scorers under rules before retiring in 2002, enjoying a career-best season in 1975-76 with 44 victories.

Tate's daughter, Nikki, said: "He was an amazing dad. He had a tremendous eye for a horse and had a really lovely lifestyle. He was very shrewd and remarkable with these horses.

"The best pony he bought for me was a horse called Puffkin at Banbury market and he was a cracker. Dad used to let me canter him up the gallop with the racehorses and he realised he was faster than the racehorses! He went on to be a racehorse and I won my only race on him."

Sam Hoskins, syndicate racing manager and Tate's great-nephew, said: "He inspired me and right until the end he was always watching the racing and reading the Racing Post. It's really sad, but 99 is a pretty amazing age.

Martin Tate: described as one of the last trainers of his kindCredit: Steve Davies

"He was quite legendary with his Cheltenham Festival punt. I loved being able to talk to him about racing stories. If he fancied lining one up in a handicap he was very clever at doing it and was still talking about that aged 99.

"I loved one story he told me. My grandmother Jane had a horse with him going to Stratford called General Billy. Martin had another horse in the race for a smart new owner who was meant to be lined up for it. There's no such thing as a good thing, and while he tanked around, my grandmother's horse got up to win at quite big odds. The one-two was the wrong way round!"

Tate also landed the 1976 Dante Stakes with 50-1 shot Trasi's Son – his sole Pattern winner on the Flat – but it was Rogers Princess's Cheltenham Festival gamble he is most fondly remembered for.

Having been backed into 8-1 joint-favouritism before the off, she stormed to a 12-length win under Shaun Keightley. Esteemed racing writer and Tate's good friend Alastair Down believes he was the last great punting trainer of his kind. 

He said: "Rogers Princess was a colossal gamble. He had the patience of Stonehenge with horses, then when the day came the bookmakers would feel it. Those were the days you could get into those races with five noughts next to your name.

"He was a man with enormous charm and knew animals backwards. He'd have made a marvellous secret agent as he'd have never given secrets away under torture when plotting one up. He was a proper countryman and a delightful man. In my racing life, he's in the top three target trainers of my time." 

Down added: "To me it's the closing of an era of the great pioneer punting trainer, who'd hatch a plot longer than a Dodo hatches an egg. He was a fabulous man, always smiling and full of beans. You couldn't knock him down.

"He was a brilliant cattle man and farmed at Chaddesley Corbett, where one of the most important point-to-point races, the Lady Dudley Cup, is run. He had a long and very happy marriage to his late childhood sweetheart, Edna."

Tate's son Richard was champion amateur jockey in the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons before his death aged 74 in January 2022.

Tate is survived by one daughter, Nikki. His funeral details are to follow.

MARTIN TATE CV

Full name Frederick Martin Tate

Born Winterfold Farm, Chaddesley Corbett, Worcestershire, December 2, 1923

Father Wilfred Tate (farmer & permit-holder)

Son Richard Tate (1947-2022, twice champion amateur rider)

Total wins as amateur rider 25 under rules, 80 in point-to-points including the 1955 Lady Dudley Cup (Div.1) on Cash Account

Stables Glenwood, Chaddesley Corbett 1953-58; Winterfold Farm, Chaddesley Corbett 1958-2002

First winner under rules as trainer Ballaroan, Hereford, October 3, 1953

Aintree Hurdle & Ascot Long-Distance Hurdle winner Bajan Sunshine (1985)

Mackeson Gold Cup winner Bawnogues (1978)

Pattern winner on Flat Trasi's Son (1976 Dante Stakes at 50-1)

Cheltenham Festival winners Water Colour (1978 Coral Golden Hurdle Final), Scot Lane (1982 & 1983 National Hunt Handicap Chase), Rogers Princess (1989 Coral Golden Hurdle Final)

Greenall Whitley Breweries Chase winner Scot Lane (1982)

Tia Maria (Swinton) Hurdle winner Bajan Sunshine (1984)

Other notable winners over jumps Geologist (1971 Gopsall Pattern Hurdle), Grando King (1975 Sir William Butlin Hurdle), Flash Imp (1976 City Trial Hurdle), Notification (1976 George Wigg Chase, Aintree), Garliestown (1977 Fernbank Hurdle, George Duller Hurdle), Cloud Park (1977 Sardan Chase, Ascot), Bawnogues (1978 Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase), Miss Quay (1980 Tote Northern Hurdle), Scot Lane (1982 Golden Miller Chase)

Other big-race winners on Flat Cullen (1966 Great Metropolitan Handicap), Water Colour (1978 Great Metropolitan Handicap)

Placed horse in Champion Hurdle Flash Imp (3rd in 1976)

Last winner Go-Onmyson, Ludlow, October 11, 2001

Highest-rated horse Flash Imp (168 in Chasers & Hurdlers 1975/76)

Cheltenham Festival wins 4 (1978-89)

Most wins in a season 44 in 1975-76

Total wins as trainer 458 (434 over jumps, 24 on Flat)

Compiled by John Randall