One of Canada’s most famous trainers, Roger Attfield was born in Newbury, Berkshire on November 28, 1939
He became an accomplished international equestrian competitor and had a brief career as an amateur rider under National Hunt rules. He rode two winners, two seconds and two thirds from 21 mounts in the 1960/61 season.
His winners were novice hurdler Nasserling at Towcester on October 29, 1960 and selling chaser Famous Knight at Plumpton on February 13, 1961.
He emigrated to Canada in 1970. After spending his early years there focusing on show jumping, he was offered the chance to train thoroughbred racehorses. Instant success led to training opportunities for leading owners such as Frank Stronach and Kinghaven Farms, which resulted in even greater success.
Based in Toronto, he trained three Canadian Triple Crown winners, namely With Approval (1989), Izvestia (1990) and Peteski, (1993). A winner of 20 Canadian Triple Crown races, he holds or equals the record for most wins in each of the three races. (The Canadian Triple Crown comprises the Queen’s Plate, the Prince of Wales Stakes and the Breeders’ Stakes.)
His other big race victories in Canada include the Princess Elizabeth Stakes (five times), Durham Cup Stakes (four times), Ontario Derby (four times), Woodbine Mile (twice), Nearctic Stakes (twice), Dominion Day Stakes (twice), the Canadian Derby, the Nassau Stakes and the E.P. Taylor Stakes.
He has also won several important U.S. stakes races including the Yellow Ribbon Stakes (1987), Pan American Handicap (1988), Carter Handicap (1993), Wood Memorial Stakes (1995), Shadwell Turf Mile (2003), Maker’s Mark Mile (2004) and the Flower Bowl Invitational (2010). He also achieved a Breeders’ Cup victory with Perfect Shirl in the 2011 Filly & Mare Turf.
Six of his horses were voted Canadian Horse of the Year. He received the Sovereign Award for Outstanding
Trainer seven times between 1986 and 2009. He was inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2011 he was inducted into the United States Racing Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame.
