Cheltenham pioneer who achieved a long-held festival ambition with 1997 winner

Lord Vestey, who has died aged 79, was a businessman, courtier, landowner and pillar of the racing establishment for half a century as an owner and official.

Racecourse chairman at Cheltenham for 21 years, he won the Stayers' Hurdle there with Karshi. On the Flat he landed the Royal Hunt Cup and Falmouth Stakes with Macadamia, and was also co-owner of Australian champion Serenade Rose, a dual Oaks winner.

Samuel Vestey, 3rd Baron Vestey, was born on March 19, 1941 into one of the richest families in Britain. His Australian mother was a granddaughter of opera singer Dame Nellie Melba. His father was killed in action in World War II, so he inherited the peerage at the age of 13 on the death of his grandfather.

Educated at Eton and Sandhurst, Vestey had his first Group winner when Juggernaut, trained by Freddie Maxwell, landed the White Rose Stakes at Ascot in 1971 before running unplaced in Mill Reef's Derby.

Leading owner and former Cheltenham chairman Lord Vestey dies aged 79

However, most of the early horses to carry his colours of royal blue, white striped sleeves were jumpers trained by David Nicholson, notably What A Buck, Flitgrove, Primrolla and Goldspun.

His best steeplechaser, What A Buck, was a half-brother to L'Escargot and won the SGB Chase at Ascot in December 1975, exploiting his low weight to beat Royal Relief and Bula before being pulled up in that season's Cheltenham Gold Cup. His brother Flitgrove won the Scilly Isles Novices' Chase in 1977.

In 1982-83 Vestey's homebred filly Primrolla landed the Finale Junior Hurdle and Goldspun was third in the Stayers' Hurdle. Vestey also bred Rodman, runner-up in the 1978 Triumph Hurdle.

After a divorce from his first wife he married Celia, sister of Henrietta Knight, in 1981.

He was already a prominent Jockey Club member when, in 1990, he became the racecourse chairman at Cheltenham, near his family's Gloucestershire estate at Stowell Park. During his 21-year reign Cheltenham made many innovations, notably expanding the festival to four days in 2005.

Karshi (right): fulfilled Lord Vestey's long-held ambition of winning a race at the festivalCredit: Phil Smith

In 1997 Vestey enjoyed his biggest success and his proudest moment in racing when Karshi fulfilled his long-held ambition of winning a race at the festival. Trained by his sister-in-law, the homebred started at 20-1 for the Stayers' Hurdle and rallied to beat Anzum by two and a half lengths.

Later that spring his colt Poteen came third to Entrepreneur in the 2,000 Guineas.

Karshi had been trained on the Flat by James Fanshawe, who also trained three Group winners for Vestey – Radwell, Unblest and Macadamia.

Radwell won the Solario Stakes in 1990, and Unblest the Champagne Stakes and Prix de la Porte Maillot in 1993-94. Macadamia triumphed in the Royal Hunt Cup in 2003, and next time out the homebred filly landed the Falmouth Stakes. She produced Listed winner Spirit Raiser.

His other Group winner in Europe was the Richard Hannon-trained Coulsty in the Prix de Meautry in 2014.

Vestey owned extensive properties in Australia and was a member of the syndicate that owned Serenade Rose, the Lee Freedman-trained champion filly of 2005-06 by virtue of victories in the Oaks in both Melbourne and Sydney.

Despite his wealth, he was not an owner on a grand scale and his number of wins in a season never reached double figures.

The family's food empire was founded on meat, and their business interests around the world have also included shipping, farming and insurance. Renowned for their tax-avoidance schemes, they owned assets worth, at their peak, more than £1 billion according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

Vestey and his wife shared their love of horses with their friends the Queen and the Prince of Wales. He held a senior position in the royal household, Master of the Horse, from 1999 to 2018, and was knighted for his services to the monarch.

Celia Vestey, one of Prince Harry's godparents and owner of champion novice chaser Drumadowney, died last November. Of their three children, William is a member of the Cheltenham racecourse committee, Arthur has had horses with Ben Pauling, and Mary trains point-to-pointers at Stowell Park.

LORD VESTEY CV

Full name Sir Samuel George Armstrong Vestey, 3rd Baron Vestey (inherited title 1954); KCVO (2009), GCVO (2018)

Born March 19, 1941

Parents William Vestey & Pamela (nee Armstrong), granddaughter of Dame Nellie Melba

Wives (1) Kathryn Eccles; 2 daughters (2) Celia, sister of Henrietta Knight; owner of Drumadowney; 2 sons, 1 daughter

Educated Eton, Sandhurst

First winner Lookit, Newmarket, July 7, 1964

First winner over jumps Cavalry Charge, Cheltenham, April 13, 1967

Cheltenham Festival winner Karshi (1997 Stayers' Hurdle)

Champion filly/Classic winner as co-owner Serenade Rose (2005 VRC Oaks, 2006 AJC Australian Oaks; also won Group 1 Arrowfield Stud Stakes, Group 2 Wakeful Stakes 2005-06)

Other Group 2 winners Unblest (1993 Champagne Stakes), Macadamia (2003 Falmouth Stakes)

Group 3 winners Juggernaut (1971 White Rose Stakes), Radwell (1990 Solario Stakes), Unblest (1994 Prix de la Porte Maillot), Coulsty (2014 Prix de Meautry)

Royal Ascot winner Macadamia (2003 Royal Hunt Cup)

SGB Chase winner What A Buck (1975)

Scilly Isles Novices' Chase winner Flitgrove (1977)

Finale Junior Hurdle winners Primrolla (1982); also Rodman (1977) as breeder only

Other big-race wins over jumps What A Buck (1976 Tote Northern Chase), Goldspun (1981 Aurelius Hurdle), Karshi (1996 Lonesome Glory Hurdle)

Listed winners Macadamia (2003 Pipalong Stakes), Captivator (2012 Snowdrop Fillies' Stakes), Coulsty (2014 King Charles II Stakes, 2015 King Richard III Stakes), Spirit Raiser (2016 Pipalong Stakes)

British Classic-placed horse Poteen (3rd, 1997 2,000 Guineas)

Best winners as breeder Rodman, Primrolla, Karshi, Macadamia, Captivator, Spirit Raiser

Last winner Your Darling, Newbury, January 15, 2020

Racing official Jockey Club member from 1979 (chairman of disciplinary committee 1987-89); chairman of The Steeplechase Company (Cheltenham) 1990-2011

Royal household Master of the Horse 1999-2018

Colours Royal blue, white striped sleeves

Stud Stowell Park Stud, Northleach, Gloucestershire

Family wealth £721 million (Sunday Times Rich List 2020)

Compiled by John Randall

Members can click here to download the digital newspaper every evening from 9pm. Not a member? Click here to sign up and enjoy the digital newspaper every day.