Frankie Durr

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.

He won the 2,000 Guineas a second time on Roland Gardens.

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.

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 that 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."

Classic winners

1966: Irish Derby – Sodium

1966: St Leger – Sodium

1973: Two Thousand Guineas – Mon Fils

1978: Two Thousand Guineas – Roland Gardens

Other big wins include:

1952: Free Handicap – Caerlaverock

1952: Greenham Stakes – Serpenyoe

1952: Cherry Hinton Stakes – Pirouette (dead-heat)

1952: Queen Elizabeth Cup – Ronald

1954: Festival Stakes – King Bruce

1957: John Porter Stakes – China Rock

1958: Festival Stakes – Right Boy

1958: Stewards Cup – Epaulette

1958: Ayr Gold Cup – Rhythmic

1960: Chester Cup – Trelawny

1960: Thirsk Hunt Cup – Guitarist

1961: Carlisle Bell – Falls Of Cruachan

1961: William Hill Gold Cup – Sanctum

1962: Great Voltigeur Stakes – Hethersett

1962: Magnet Cup – Nortia

1963: Ayr Gold Cup – Equalita

1963: Cambridgeshire – Commander in Chief

1964: Greenham Stakes – Excel

1964: Great Jubilee Handicap – Commander in Chief

1964: Diadem Stakes – Ampney Princess

1965: Chester Cup – Harvest Gold

1965: Ascot Stakes – Harvest Gold

1965: Jersey Stakes – Fortezza

1965: Andy Capp Handicap – Shai

1965: Bunbury Cup – Grey Lord

1965: Vaux Gold Tankard – Atilla

1966: Craven Stakes – Salvo

1967: Queen’s Vase – The Accuser

1967: Doncaster Cup – Crozier

1967: Cornwallis Stakes – So Blessed

1967: Dewhurst Stakes – Hametus

1968: Royal Hunt Cup – Golden Mean

1968: July Cup – So Blessed

1968: Richmond Stakes – Tudor Music

1968: King George V Stakes – So Blessed

1968: Gimcrack Stakes – Tudor Music

1968: Lowther Stakes – Flying Legs

1968: Nunthorpe Stakes – So Blessed

1969: Cork and Orrery Stakes – Tudor Music

1969: Northumberland Plate – Even Say

1969: July Cup – Tudor Music

1969: Nassau Stakes – Lucyrowe

1969: Gimcrack Stakes – Yellow God

1969: Haydock Sprint Cup – Tudor Music

1969: Cambridgeshire Handicap – Prince De Galles

1969: Dewhurst Stakes – Hametus

1970: Greenham Stakes – Gold Rod

1970: City and Suburban Handicap – Granados

1970: Palace House Stakes – Tower Walk

1970: Champagne Stakes – Breeders Dream

1970: Cambridgeshire Handicap – Prince De Galles

1971: John Porter Stakes – Meadowville

1971: Jockey Club Stakes – Meadowville

1971: Chester Cup – Random Shot

1971: July Stakes – Deep Diver

1971: Gimcrack Stakes – Wishing Star

1971: Ebor Handicap – Knotty Pine

1972: Ebor Handicap – Crazy Rhythm

1972: Doncaster Cup – Crozier

1973: Great Metropolitan Handicap – Quarrymaster

1973: Jockey Club Stakes – Our Mirage

1973: Coventry Stakes – Doleswood

1973: Princess of Wales’s Stakes – Our Mirage

1973: Royal Lodge Stakes – Straight As A Die

1974: Portland Handicap – Matinee

1975: Temple Stakes – Blue Cashmere

1975: Bessborough Stakes – Fool’s Mate

1975: Flying Childers Stakes – Hittite Glory

1975: Middle Park Stakes – Hittite Glory

1977: Lowther Stakes – Enstone Spark

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."