One of three jockey brothers, Ivor, from Carmarthen, was born on June 10, 1883, and first rode as an amateur. (He was always to be overshadowed by his brilliant younger brother Jack, who rode the winners of three Grand Nationals.)
Ivor won the 1904 National Hunt Chase on Timothy Titus and was the leading amateur that year.
Turning professional, he became Champion Jockey in 1912. In 1906, he rode five winners at Pembroke. After a bad fall from Tedney at Ludlow in 1924, he was compelled to retire.
A confirmed bachelor, always neat, precise and punctual, he became assistant trainer to the Hon. Aubrey Hastings at Wroughton, near Swindon, taking over the licence in 1929 when Hastings died.
He then proceeded to win two Grand Nationals (Royal Mail and Kellsboro' Jack), the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Morse Code, the Champion Hurdle (Chenango), three Welsh Grand Nationals, the Champion Chase and the Scottish Grand National. He also trained Brown Jack, who won the Queen Alexandra Stakes at Royal Ascot an incredible six times, from 1929 to 1934. Brown Jack had a passion for cheese sandwiches.
Ivor also trained the mare Blue Vision, who won the Northumberland Plate in 1934 and the Chester Cup in 1934.
Ivor continued training until 1953, when he handed over to Peter Hastings-Bass, Aubrey's son.
He always considered Kellsboro' Jack the greatest Aintree jumper he had ever known. When, after WW2 and attending Saratoga races, Ivor would visit the horse's grave in the Adirondack Hills.
He died at Wroughton, Wilts., on August 23, 1959.
His best wins included:
1904 National Hunt Chase: Timothy Titus
1908 Scottish Grand National: Atrato
1911 Welsh Grand National: Razorbill
1914 Grand Sefton: Distaff
1914 Champion Chase: Ilston
1919 Stanley Chase: Wavylace
Biggest wins as a trainer:
Grand National: 1933 Kellsboro Jack & 1937 Royal Mail
Cheltenham Gold Cup: 1938 Morse Code & 1941 Poet Prince
Chester Cup: 1931 Brown Jack
Champion Hurdle: 1934 Chenango
