Buster Fenningworth

George Oscar Fenningworth, popularly known as ‘Buster’, is best remembered as a successful Yorkshire-based trainer of the 1960s, whose successes included the Northumberland Plate and Bessborough Stakes. Among his main owners were Lord Rosebery, Lady Sassoon, Lord Zetland and Major Lionel Holliday. However, prior to that, he rode as both an amateur and professional under National Hunt rules.

Born in 1922, he rode as an amateur between 1936 and 1955 but had only two winners during that time. The first came on a horse named Gretna Green in the three-mile Huntsmen’s Hurdle at Hexham on Whit Monday, May 17, 1948.

He obtained his National Hunt trainer’s licence in 1951. The first winner he trained was Choice, who he also owned, in the Gosforth Park Chase at Newcastle on October 29, 1951, partnered by Dick Curran. A year later, he took out a licence on the Flat.

Seven years on from his only previous winning ride, Buster owned, trained and rode Queen Cobra to win the Mansfield Three-Year-Old Hurdle at Perth on September 22, 1955. He turned professional at the start of the 1956/57 campaign, riding some of the horses he trained. He managed two winners from 30 mounts that season, both on his two-mile chaser Free Beat.

In a busier 1957/58 campaign, he rode six winners from 60 mounts, the last three of them within the space of a month on the four-year-old hurdler Piperton, the best jumper he ever trained. Four years later, when owned and trained by Archie Thomlinson, Piperton would go on to land the Two-Mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham in the hands of Dave Dick.

In 1958 Buster married Annabel Peacock, daughter of trainer Harry Peacock, whose Hurgill Lodge, Richmond stables he took over when Mr Peacock retired.

Having ridden a total of ten winners and had his claim cut to 5lb, he relinquished his jockey’s licence in 1960 to focus on training. He registered his first big race success with Delores V in that year’s Cumberland Plate at Carlisle. His two greatest victories were both achieved in 1962: the Northumberland Plate with Bordone and Royal Ascot’s Bessborough Stakes with Better Honey.

Over the next four years he was among the leading northern trainers. He kicked off the 1967 season by winning the Rosebery Stakes at Teesside Park (Stockton) with Forthwith, partnered by stable jockey Albert ‘Brig’ Robson. On April 17, he saddled Golden Catch to land an Edinburgh seller, again with Robson in the saddle. That would be the last winner he ever trained.

On Saturday, April 22, 1967, Buster Fenningworth died shortly after a car crash at Ecclefechan, Dumfriesshire, while on his way to Ayr races. The car in which he was travelling hit a central reservation, went off the road, down an embankment into a field and burst into flames. Buster died on his way to hospital, aged 45.

Brig Robson and William Blenkinsopp, an apprentice, who were passengers in the car, were both seriously injured and taken to Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, where they were described as being in “a very critical condition with multiple injuries.” Fortunately, both men survived. Robson eventually made a full recovery and was able to rebuild his career, whereas Blenkinsopp was unable to do so.

Buster Fenningworth’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Gretna Green, Hexham, May 17, 1948

2. Queen Cobra, Perth, September 22, 1955

3. Free Beat, Sedgefield, March 9, 1957

4. Free Beat, Carlisle, April 20, 1957

5. Valley Brae, Kelso, October 19, 1957

6. Dark Hyacinth, Catterick Bridge, November 2, 1957

7. Empire Stadium, Newcastle, November 23, 1957

8. Piperton, Catterick Bridge, February 21, 1958

9. Piperton, Kelso, March 1, 1958

10. Piperton, Ayr, March 17, 1958