Cyril Bentick

Cyril Bentick

Flat jockey Cyril Bentick was born in 1921 and spent the vast majority of his racing career based in Lambourn. Apprenticed to Vic Hobbs, he had his first ride in public on Mountain Ranger, who finished fifth of 14 in the Apprentice Handicap at Newmarket on October 30, 1940. Following his apprenticeship he held a full jockey’s licence from 1942 to 1955. 

His proudest moment came when riding the Harry Whiteman-trained Button Boy in the 1949 Derby, won by Nimbus. Button Boy was a genuine 100-1 outsider, having only ever run once before, finishing fifth of seven when ridden by Cyril in a Wolverhampton two-year-old race in November 1948. Not surprisingly, they failed to feature at Epsom, finishing towards the rear of the 32-runner field, although Button Boy did go on to win races over hurdles.

That was the 170th renewal of the Derby and, for the first time since the beginning of his reign, the King was not present. The race was worth £14,170 that year, the most valuable in its then 170-year history. Since the war, four hot favourites – Happy Knight, Tudor Minstrel, My Babu and Tenby – have all finished unplaced. 

Cyril’s last winner was on a two-year-old colt named Wintergreen, also trained by Whiteman, at Windsor on June 1, 1950, one of just five rides he had that season. He continued to hold a licence for five more years and had his final ride in public on King of Pippins (unplaced) in a back-end two-year-old maiden at Lingfield Park on November 12, 1955.

When retiring from riding, he took out a permit to train and remained at the heart of Lambourn racing scene, joining the village saddlers E. J. Wicks, where he specialised in manufacturing high-quality horse rugs and blankets. His paddock sheets and rollers were carried by some of the greatest names in the sport, both Flat and jumping.

He was highly regarded and well respected in the Lambourn area and there was much sadness at his death in February 2010 and the age of 88. Peter Walwyn, chairman of the Lambourn Trainers’ Association, said: “Cyril was a wonderful man who saw the game from so many different levels. His death is a great loss to the village.”

On the road to Eastbury, just past the car park of The George, squats a white stone building between a chip shop and a launderette. It was there, years past, that Cyril Bentick  - who, because of his striking red hair was nicknamed Blood - made saddles and other accessories  for the Queen, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the Sultan of Oman. He had left his hometown of Great Crosby in 1939 to go to Lambourn as an apprentice. His memories of these days are stark. 'Nobody now can appreciate how bad the conditions were that we had to live in. They were unsanitary and filthy.' He also recalled, years' later, a certain visitor to the saddlery, a young boy who would come down most days to watch him work. The lad's name was Lester Piggott. Over the years, Cyril supplied Lester with some of his equipment, 'and felt proud to do so.' Later, he was asked to produce a racing rug with three feathers on it for Prince Charles.