BUT for a strange twist of fate Walter Wharton might have been the trainer of 1968 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe hero Vaguely Noble who went on to become such a hugely successful stallion when retired to stud duties.
Born on March 26, 1924, Wharton handled one of the greatest post-war champions as a juvenile but he was sold at the end of his two-year-old career to meet death duties of his breeder Major Lionel Holliday's estate.
He made a staggering 136,000gns - a world record for any thoroughbred at auction - and a massive sum compared to the average sales price in the mid-sixties.
After a brief spell with Paddy Prendergast, Vaguely Noble was sent to Sea Bird's trainer Etienne Pollet at Chantilly to be prepared for his stunning three-length Arc victory over that year's Derby winner Sir Ivor.
Wharton first took out a trainers' licence in 1950 to operate near Wetherby until he was offered the position of private trainer to Major Holliday in Newmarket in 1964.
It was while there that he looked after Vaguely Noble who ploughed through the Doncaster mud to land the Observer Gold Cup (now the Racing Post Trophy) by seven lengths and it was a shame he didn't hold any Classic entries for his three-year-old campaign.
Now 79, Wharton recalled: "We didn't rush him as a two-year-old but he really started to improve in the second half of the season. We had a few horses entered in the Doncaster race and by the time it came round he was the only one left.
"Bill Williamson rode for us in those days and he came into the paddock and told us he'd been speaking to Lester Piggott who said ours was the one to beat."
But Vaguely Noble wasn't the only decent horse under the expert care of Wharton. He won the 1956 Topham Trophy with John Jacques, the 1964 Ebor with 28- 1 outsider Proper Pride and the 1965 1000 Guineas with Night Off.
He said: "When Major Holliday died I had to start all over again in Richmond and then in Melton Mowbray as the Newmarket stables and most of the horses were going to be sold."
Having retired in 1988, Wharton has moved back to his roots and now lives near Tadcaster in west Yorkshire.
He added: "I had to give up training due to having a triple heart bypass operation. But I still try to ride out every day."