Embedded Files
Francis Durr was born in Liverpool on Nov 10, 1925.He rode his first winner, Merle, at Pontefract in 1944 and the following year was joint holder of the apprentices' championship, with both he and Tommy Gosling riding 10 winners apiece.
He served his apprenticeship at the Bedford Cottage stable in Newmarket, managed by Miss Clayton.
Frank became jockey to the Duke of York at Arundel Stable, a position he held for six years. Other trainers he rode for included Major Holliday, Geoffrey Barling, Lady Beaverbrook and David Robinson.
He rode Sodium to win the 1966 St Leger for George Todd and Mons Fils to win the 2,000 Guineas for Richard Hannon.
Frank refused the extra workload of riding at evening meetings, preferring to spend that time with his family at his farm at Kirklington just outside Newmarket.
Frank was married to Odette in 1954 who gave him one daughter, Elizabeth.
Frank's many winners included Caerlaverock (Free Handicap, 1952), Hethersett (Great Voltigeur Stakes, 1962), Nortia (Magnet Cup, 1962), Granados (City and Suburban, 1970), Hametus (Dewhurst, 1969), Tudor Music (Gimcrack, 1968), Yellow God (Gimcrack, 1969), Wishing Star (Gimcrack, 1971), Breeder's Dream (Champagne Stakes, 1970), So Blessed (Nunthorpe Stakes, 1968), Knotty Pine (Ebor, 1971), Trelawny Chester Cup, 1960), Harvest Gold (Chester Cup, 1965), Random Shot (Chester Cup, 1971), Commander in Chief (Jubilee, 1964), Golden Mean (Royal Hunt Cup, 1968), Epaulette (Stewards' Cup, 1958) and Hittite Glory (Middle Park, 1975.
He reached a personal record of 87 winners in 1969.
After hanging up his saddle , he began training in 1979. He had a disastrous year in 1982 when his stable was hit by a virus which very nearly closed down operations, but he was back to normal the next season.
Sending out horses from Fiztroy Stables, Black Bear Lane, Newmarket, he won the Portland (Swelter, 1980) and the Cambridgeshire (Sagamore,1983).
In 1983, the stable housed 59 horses. He employed Greville Starkey as first jockey and engaged two apprentices, Aaron Weiss and Robert Lea.
He died aged 74 in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, on Tuesday 18 January 2000.
Former jockey Geoff Baxter, who married his daughter Elizabeth, said "He spent Christmas and New Year with us but then last week he had a nosebleed. He went into hospital and didn't come out."
Richard Hannon, on holiday in Barbados, said: "If it wasn't for Frank I wouldn't be training now - it's as simple as that. We were going through a pretty bad
spell and he helped me big- time. Then we got the Guineas winner Mon Fils, and things started to happen.
"There are millions of stories you could tell, but one in
particular was about a filly who finished last at Newbury. Frank got off and said, 'This one will go places'. "He was so right because she went on to win the 1,000 Guineas [for Barry Hills]. That was Enstone Spark. "Frank was a great gentleman, a good man for the game, and a really true professional. As I say, but for him I would probably be digging roads." Taffy Thomas rode the Durr-trained Sagamore to win the 1983 Cambridgeshire. Looking back at his late friend's riding career, he said: "Frank was a very professional jockey, a great race-rider, and wouldn't give an inch in a finish. "We were friends off the track but great rivals on it, and he never took any prisoners if he had a chance of winning," Thomas went on. "He was also a very good trainer. If he told you one had a good chance it was never very far away."
Broadcaster Jimmy Lindley, who rode alongside Durr for many years, recalled: "He was a very good jockey, he was very strong and hated to be beaten.
To beat him in a finish you had to be at your very best."
Former champion jockey Joe Mercer, now racing manager to Maktoum Al Maktoum, added: "Frank was a wonderful person; very professional when it came
to the job but good company away from it, and a lot of people will miss him."
Another contemporary, Eric Eldin, recalled Durr's fanatical perfectionism. "He was a hard little jockey and, at the same time, very brainy," he said.
"He used to work everything out; the wind conditions and when he should tuck in, how the grass had been mown and how that would affect the
running of a race - the real finer points that no other jockey would think about."
Trainer Jeff Pearce, who was Durr's assistant for over three years, said: "Frank was a terrific person to work for. Being a former jump jockey,
I found him a great bloke to learn about Flat racing from and I owe him a great deal."
FRANKIE DURR FACTFILE
Name: Francis Durr
Born: November 10, 1925
Married: February 10, 1954 to Odette. One daughter, Elizabeth, married to former jockey Geoff Baxter
Riding career: Flat jockey 1944 to 1978
First winner: Merle, at Pontefract in 1944
British Classic wins: Sodium (1966 St Leger), Peleid (1973 St Leger), Mon Fils (1973 2,000 Guineas), Roland Gardens (1978 2,000 Guineas)
Other big races won: Sodium (1966 Irish Derby), So Blessed (1968 July Cup), Tudor Music (1968 Gimcrack, 1969 July Cup), Yellow God (1969 Gimcrack),
Wishing Star (1971 Gimcrack), Knotty Pine (1971 Ebor), Crazy Rhythm (1972 Ebor), Hittite Glory (1975 Middle Park), Commander-In-Chief (1963 Cambridgeshire)
Training career: 1979 to 1991
Big races won: Ahonoora (1979 William Hill Sprint Championship), Another Realm (1980 Richmond, 1981 Greenham), Sagamore (1983 Cambridgeshire),
Crews Hill (1981 Stewards' Cup), Camps Heath (1985 Ayr Gold Cup).
19 Sep 12 13:14
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse