Willie Carson calls for statue to commemorate a 'gigantic figure in racing'

Willie Carson has called for a permanent memorial to be created to the memory of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, following news of the death of the owner-breeder whose blue and white colours are closely associated with the former jockey.

"There'll be a statue erected in Newmarket, hopefully," Carson said soon after hearing the news. "There's got to be. He's at the same level as Tesio, a gigantic figure in the horseracing world, especially in England. He will be so sorely missed. It's life-changing for some people and terrible news.He was a huge thing in my life. He and Major Hern were the people who made me."

Carson, Hern and Sheikh Hamdan enjoyed huge success in 1989 with Nashwan, winner of the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby, the Eclipse and the King George.