John Dunlop: a training legend whose defining human quality was kindness

Inevitably the tributes to John Dunlop have, perhaps to the point of cliche, made much of his urbanity and mildly patrician air, both of which he cultivated somewhat – presumably as an outer layer of protection against a difficult world.

The word 'respect' has been the default description of how he was regarded. But I held him in a degree of affection. He was kind to me and had a fine and very wry sense of humour. I also felt a degree of sympathy for him as his life was marked by a catastrophic personal tragedy from which no man could escape unscathed or unscarred. Of which more later.

Well over 20 years ago I went to interview him at Arundel and we repaired to his study in the yard. Back then John was a ferocious smoker – Embassy much to my surprise – and I matched him gasper for gasper with Marlboro Red.