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In May, 1957, Lawrence Wargen became attached to the Green Lodge, Newmarket, stable of Norman Bertie whose retained jockeys then were Scobie Breasley and Peter Boothman.
In 1961, his indentures were transferred to Atty Corbett.
Larry obviously learnt something from Breasley and Boothman - on his first ride of the 1962 season,
the opening apprentices' race at Lincoln, he took up the running two furlongs from home Wild Cat to run out a comfortable winner at 100/8. His mount had been drawn 2, and had been forced to run on her own on the far side, so it was a good performance from both horse and rider, who was gaining his first win.In their next race together, at Salisbury in May, they were brought down, but both escaped injury.
In 1959, Wild Cat had won three times on the flat and the previous October had beaten the Queen Mother's Laffy in a novice steeplechase at Newbury.
It was to be quite a wait for his second win which came at a muddy Windsor the following April. A cold wind unsettled many of the two-year-olds but the conditions were perfect for Larry's mount, Colour Blind. Larry came with a perfectly timed effort to beat French Franc by a length with the front-running Xerxes back in third.
On Tuesday, July 30, 1963 , Larry enjoyed his eighth success, but the victory was not without incident.
Riding the 4/6 favourite Seven Grand at Birmingham, Larry was eight lengths behind the leader, Charlie Peace, as they entered the straight. Then Charlie Peace broke down, unseating its rider, Paul Cook. Larry was left in the lead but was almost collared inside the last furlong by Regis, who put in a storming run. Larry held on by a head: Charlie Peace was destroyed.
(left: Larry Wargen)
After a fairly unexciting career - in which his best seasonal total (13) had come in 1963 - Larry took his final mount, the Atty Corbett-trained Swinging Girl, at Leicester on May 31, 1976.
The biggest race he had won was the Edingburgh Spring Handicap.
Larry had been born on August 22, 1941, and lodged at La Grange, Newmarket during his career.
Having retired from race-riding, he became employed at the Bedford House Stables run by Luca Cumani. He'd arrived in 1987 as a stable boy and worked his way up to become Head Lad & Feed Man.
Larry always forms strong bonds with horses and particularly likes the challenge of some more difficult horses. One favourite was Zommardah, who he travelled all over the world with.
Larry once said: 'At 68 years old, I still love the early mornings, winter or summer alike, when I walk into the yard and the day begins. Racing has enriched my life and not once have I ever wanted to do anything else or live my life in any other way.'
Away from racing, Larry enjoyed football & cricket. He was also a formidable exponent of snooker.
Larry Wargen – winners
Larry Wargen’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Wild Cat, Lincoln, March 26, 1962
2. Colour Blind, Windsor, April 5, 1963
3. Scots Fusilier, Newbury, May 24, 1963
4. Brief Case, Windsor, June 29, 1963
5. Scots Fusilier, Newmarket, July 3, 1963
6. My Ambition, Worcester, July 13, 1963
7. Floss, Bath, July 25, 1963
8. Seven Grand, Birmingham, July 30, 1963
9. Mollica, Chepstow, August 5, 1963
10. Colour Blind, Newbury, August 16, 1963
11. Koh-I-Nor, Lingfield Park, August 24, 11963
12. My Ambition, Worcester, September 7, 1963
13. Scots Fusilier, Worcester, September 23, 1963
14. Brief Case, Hamilton Park, September 30, 1963
15. Brief Case, Windsor, May 4, 1954
16. Firescreen, Chepstow, May 18, 1964
17. My Ambition, Chepstow, May 18, 1964
18. Impassioned Plea, Newbury, April 7, 1967
19. Alpine, Newmarket, April 20, 1967
20. Flying Fur, Salisbury, May 18, 1967 (dead-heat)
21. Gamin, Lanark, July 20, 1967
22. Scots Fusilier, Lanark, July 20, 1967
23. Gamin, Warwick, July 29, 1967
24. Alpine, Liverpool, March 30, 1968
25. Impassioned Plea, Edinburgh, April 8, 1968
26. Scots Fusilier, Edinburgh, April 8, 1968
27. Sweet Charity, Hamilton Park, June 14, 1968
28. Scots Fusilier, Warwick, April 5, 1969
29. Brief Case, Lanark, May 3, 1969
30. Tell All, Lanark, May 3, 1969
31. Colour Blind, Hamilton Park, May 10, 1969
32. Stimulation, Teesside Park, May 24, 1969
33. Sweet Charity, Teesside Park, May 24, 1969
34. Scots Fusilier, Edinburgh, July 14, 1969
35. Brief Case, Edinburgh, July 14, 1969
36. Golden Hussar, Ayr, July 21, 1970
37. Scots Fusilier, Yarmouth, June 8, 1971
38. Scots Fusilier, Brighton, July 14, 1971
39. Dwindle, Leicester, May 28, 1973
40. Tamerglow, Warwick, April 15, 1974
41. Port Tack, Doncaster, June 28, 1974
42. Sea Pink, Leicester, June 14, 1975
Biggest win:
Brief Case, 1963 Lord Hamilton of Dalzell Memorial Nursery, Hamilton Park
Most wins: Scots Fusilier 9
Doubles: 6 Chepstow, May 18, 1964 (Firescreen/My Ambition); Lanark, July 20, 1967 (Gamin/Scots Fusilier); Edinburgh, April 8, 1968 (Impassioned Plea/Scots Fusilier); Lanark, May 3, 1969 (Brief Case/Tell All); Teesside Park, May 24, 1969 (Stimulation/Sweet Charity); Edinburgh, July 14, 1969 (Scots Fusilier/Brief Case)
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