'His proudest moment was riding a point-to-point winner for the Queen Mother' - trainer John Long dies at 76

Hertfordshire-based trainer and former champion point-to-point rider John Long has died after a short illness at the age of 76.

Long, who first took out his licence in 1973, trained well over 100 winners, primarily on the Flat, and did well with the likes of Magicinthemaking, who won four races for him in 2019, three under Hollie Doyle.

Doyle said: “John was a great supporter of mine and did incredibly well with the cards he was dealt. After I had a big winner he’d always message me and say well done. He was just a good guy.”

More recently, Long sent out his last winner when Laurentia won a 1m2f handicap at Lingfield in May.

His assistant Steph Cassidy said: “Sadly, John died last week. I think he had been training for 50 years and took over the licence aged only 24 when his dad Ted died.”

Long first trained in Ealham in Kent and then close to Plumpton racecourse. He moved to Caterham, near Lingfield, where he spent the next 20 years or so before moving to Royston about ten years ago.

Cassidy, who plans to take over the licence at the yard, said: “I’ve been here 26 years and before that he trained mainly jumpers. John’s claim to fame as a jockey was that he was champion point-to-point rider in the south-east. His proudest moment was riding a point-to-point winner for the Queen Mother.

"He got a letter from Clarence House afterwards thanking him. I’m pretty sure the horse was originally trained under rules by Peter Cazalet but none of the jockeys could ride it. John could as he had a great pair of hands.”