Guy Landau
Guy Landau is best remembered for his association with Lean Ar Aghaidh, on which he finished third in the 1987 Grand National and then won the Whitbread Gold Cup.
Guy Landau is best remembered for his association with Lean Ar Aghaidh, on which he finished third in the 1987 Grand National and then won the Whitbread Gold Cup.
Born on October 29, 1966, Guy Lester Landau’s involvement with horses stemmed from childhood, when his mother married the celebrated Sussex horse-master Roy Trigg. Success in the show ring soon followed. He decided at a very early age that he wanted to be a jockey and wasted no time in fulfilling that prophecy.
Born on October 29, 1966, Guy Lester Landau’s involvement with horses stemmed from childhood, when his mother married the celebrated Sussex horse-master Roy Trigg. Success in the show ring soon followed. He decided at a very early age that he wanted to be a jockey and wasted no time in fulfilling that prophecy.
At the age of 11, he was breaking in yearlings that were to be trained by Guy Harwood and Ryan Price. He rode his first winner when aged 15 in a point-to-point on Mr Batnac – who was only a year younger than his jockey.
At the age of 11, he was breaking in yearlings that were to be trained by Guy Harwood and Ryan Price. He rode his first winner when aged 15 in a point-to-point on Mr Batnac – who was only a year younger than his jockey.
Having ridden out for Guy Harwood from the age of 12, it was a natural progression to be apprenticed to him.
Having ridden out for Guy Harwood from the age of 12, it was a natural progression to be apprenticed to him.
He rode his first winner on the Flat, aged 16, on a three-year-old colt named Bahoor trained by Harwood and owned by Sheikh Mohammed, in an apprentices’ race at Leicester on September 19, 1983. He won on him again at Bath and at Pontefract in October.
He rode his first winner on the Flat, aged 16, on a three-year-old colt named Bahoor trained by Harwood and owned by Sheikh Mohammed, in an apprentices’ race at Leicester on September 19, 1983. He won on him again at Bath and at Pontefract in October.
Eventually Guy put on weight and joined jumps trainer Stan Mellor’s stable as a conditional, coming close to being one of the youngest jockeys to ride the winner of the Grand National. He’d won on Lean Ar Aghaidh at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day 1987 and followed up at Wincanton on March 12. They made most of the running in that year’s Grand National and were still in front jumping the last fence, only to be passed on the run-in by Maori Venture and The Tsarevich.
Eventually Guy put on weight and joined jumps trainer Stan Mellor’s stable as a conditional, coming close to being one of the youngest jockeys to ride the winner of the Grand National. He’d won on Lean Ar Aghaidh at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day 1987 and followed up at Wincanton on March 12. They made most of the running in that year’s Grand National and were still in front jumping the last fence, only to be passed on the run-in by Maori Venture and The Tsarevich.
Just three weeks after their Aintree exertions, on Saturday, April 25, 1987, Guy and Lean Ar Aghaidh led virtually throughout to win Sandown’s Whitbread Gold Cup by five lengths from Contradeal.
Just three weeks after their Aintree exertions, on Saturday, April 25, 1987, Guy and Lean Ar Aghaidh led virtually throughout to win Sandown’s Whitbread Gold Cup by five lengths from Contradeal.
Soon after that, Guy moved his tack to France, where he became a leading jump jockey. He was twice top jockey on a prize-money basis, with multiple wins in the Grand Course des Haies and the Le President de La Republiques. He rode there for five years, based in Paris riding for champion trainer Jean-Pierre Gallorini. He registered 52 winners in his best season.
Soon after that, Guy moved his tack to France, where he became a leading jump jockey. He was twice top jockey on a prize-money basis, with multiple wins in the Grand Course des Haies and the Le President de La Republiques. He rode there for five years, based in Paris riding for champion trainer Jean-Pierre Gallorini. He registered 52 winners in his best season.
But by the age of 27 he had retired from race riding.
But by the age of 27 he had retired from race riding.
It all came to an abrupt end in 1994 due to a series of unfortunate events. He had a bad fall and cracked three vertebrae, just a week after his great friend Roger Duchene had been killed in a fall at Auteuil. Not long after, his stepfather, Roy Trigg, died.
It all came to an abrupt end in 1994 due to a series of unfortunate events. He had a bad fall and cracked three vertebrae, just a week after his great friend Roger Duchene had been killed in a fall at Auteuil. Not long after, his stepfather, Roy Trigg, died.
Guy’s mother was left running the yard in Sussex so Guy came back to help her and bought a place at nearby Wisborough Green and turned his attention to show horses.
Guy’s mother was left running the yard in Sussex so Guy came back to help her and bought a place at nearby Wisborough Green and turned his attention to show horses.
In November 2000, influenced by the fact that property in Sussex had become too expensive, he moved west to a 30-acre property in Somerset. There he had mainly show hunters, including those owned by Arundel trainer John Dunlop, plus the occasional resting racehorse.
In November 2000, influenced by the fact that property in Sussex had become too expensive, he moved west to a 30-acre property in Somerset. There he had mainly show hunters, including those owned by Arundel trainer John Dunlop, plus the occasional resting racehorse.
Wearing a bowler hat instead of a skull cap, Guy quickly became one of the top riders in the show ring. He won a plethora of show championships, many of them on John Dunlop’s hunters. He thus emulated his stepfather, Roy Trigg, who had enjoyed a great reputation for showing horses.
Wearing a bowler hat instead of a skull cap, Guy quickly became one of the top riders in the show ring. He won a plethora of show championships, many of them on John Dunlop’s hunters. He thus emulated his stepfather, Roy Trigg, who had enjoyed a great reputation for showing horses.
He didn’t entirely cut his ties with racing, sending out point-to-point winners and training hunter chasers.
He didn’t entirely cut his ties with racing, sending out point-to-point winners and training hunter chasers.
In 2009 he opted for a third change of career, hunting hounds with the West Somerset Vale, having taken over as joint-master. By the end of 2013 he had relocated to the north-east as the new master of the Morpeth Foxhounds.
In 2009 he opted for a third change of career, hunting hounds with the West Somerset Vale, having taken over as joint-master. By the end of 2013 he had relocated to the north-east as the new master of the Morpeth Foxhounds.