Sir Henry Cecil: how an instinct for humans as well as horses secured the Frankel genius's lasting legacy
Ten years after the death of Sir Henry Cecil, Peter Thomas looks back at the man, his horses and his lasting impact
When Sir Henry Cecil died ten years ago on Sunday he was celebrated as one of the greatest trainers we've ever seen. Having struggled through his years of turmoil and isolation, he'd regrouped, buoyed by the help of good friends, and ended his life amid uplands brightly lit by the best horse he, perhaps anybody, had ever trained.
Frankel was Cecil's parting shot, the horse who put into a nutshell the instinctive genius of the ten-time champion trainer. As the mighty beast begins to compile a stallion career that seems likely to involve the creation of lasting dynasties, now is a good time to reflect on Cecil's contribution to the ongoing story.
The man who coaxed an unbeaten 14-race career out of the son of Galileo had been acclaimed for his rare gift many times, but this was his magnum opus, and those closest to him are happy to recognise that in performing it he left behind him a legacy that will shape the thoroughbred breed for generations.
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Copy- 'People love having horses with Willy rather than a miserable git like me'
- 'I'm not here to tell people how to train but if you hide something from me, I'm gone, I'm done - and you won't see me again'
- 'The lads often give out to me for saying what I say - but if I didn't say what I thought I wouldn't be being true to myself'
- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'
- 'People love having horses with Willy rather than a miserable git like me'
- 'I'm not here to tell people how to train but if you hide something from me, I'm gone, I'm done - and you won't see me again'
- 'The lads often give out to me for saying what I say - but if I didn't say what I thought I wouldn't be being true to myself'
- 'I'm not retiring just yet. It'll come to me, I'm sure, but I hate idleness - I haven't had an idle moment in 60 years'
- 'The next target has to be number one spot. It's a massive dream and it's going to be hard, but you have to keep aiming high'