Oaks and St Leger-winning trainer Bill Elsey dies at 97

Dual Classic-winning trainer Bill Elsey, arguably the most successful Yorkshire trainer of his generation, died on Wednesday night at the age of 97.

Victories in the Oaks with Pia in 1967 and the St Leger with Peleid in 1973 were the highlights of a career which started when he took over the licence from his father Charles at Highfield Stables in Malton in 1961.

He also won the Eclipse, Lockinge and St James's Palace Stakes plus numerous top handicaps before his retirement in 1996.

His son Charlie, who also trained, said on Thursday: "He was very modest and was certainly not one for blowing his own trumpet, but he had those two Classic winners and plenty of big handicap victories and wins in races that are now Group 1s.

"He had the luck to take over a championship stable from his father and I think he felt the pressure of that sometimes, but through the 1960s he sent out the largest number of winners for many seasons."

Elsey won the Ebor and the Lincoln twice each in his native county and his son said: "He was a very strong supporter of the north and Yorkshire in particular. He kept his enthusiasm right to the end. Like all trainers, he was an eternally optimistic pessimist!

"I can remember at his retirement do he was quite happy there were a lot of people there patting him on the back and telling him what a good fellow he was, but his parting shot was 'If they all thought I was so bloody good, why didn't they send me a bloody horse?'

"He had a long retirement and up until the last few years was still a very active guy, he loved his shooting and skiing up to quite a late age."

Elsey had a long partnership with top northern jockey Edward Hide, who said: "My association with Highfield and the Elsey family began in 1953 and I continued to ride for Bill after he took over from his father in 1961 until I went south in 1968.

"In those years I rode over 300 winners for him notably Henry The Seventh, who won the Cambridgeshire and the Eclipse, and Pia who won the 1967 Oaks. He was well respected and his record speaks for itself.

"We rarely had a cross word and I continued to ride some for him right up until I retired."

John Lowe rode many winners for Elsey, notably landing the Lincoln on K-Battery, and said: "He was a lovely man and he had the best gallops in Malton. He knew his horses and when he gave you orders he knew what he was talking about.

"I was brought up with him and Jack Watts and you did what you were told with people like them because they knew more about racing horses than I did – they had been around a lot longer than me and trained top-class horses a lot longer than I'd ridden them."

Among others who rode winners for Elsey was Dale Gibson, who recalled: "He was a very straightforward man to ride for, he kept it simple and left it to you, and he was very successful."

James Hetherton, who had a spell as assistant to a man who had trained for his father and grandfather, said: "He was a very good trainer and, more importantly, a thoroughly decent human being."

Elsey left six children, six grandchildren and his second wife, Susie. Funeral arrangements have yet to be made.

You may also be interested in reading . . .

Remembering the people racing has said goodbye to over the last 12 months

Download the knowledge of more than 200 experts with our free mobile app – it lets you study the form, get the latest tips and place a bet on the go. Get the app here