Henry Oliver

1935-2008

One of jump racing’s larger-than-life characters, Henry Joseph Oliver was born in Droitwich, Worcestershire, on 7 February 1935, the son of a horse trader. His father dispatched him to New Zealand for a few months at the age of fifteen to find his way in life. 

A horseman through and through, he rode his first winner aged sixteen on Over Land, owned by Peter Chisman and trained by Fred Rimell, in the Mamhead Handicap Chase at Devon & Exeter on 23 August 1951. By the time he was eighteen he was training horses in his own name. He rode 50-1 chance Land Fort for Rimell in the 1953 Grand National but fell at the second fence. 

He won the Lady Dudley Cup, the Cheltenham Gold Cup of point-to-pointing, on Mrs Jackie Brutton’s mare Snowdra Queen in 1965. He was the trainer in all but name under National Hunt rules for Mrs Brutton, as women were not then allowed to hold a trainer’s licence. In 1966 this was rescinded for permit holders, thus enabling Mrs Brutton to be officially listed as the trainer when Henry gained his greatest success on Snowdra Queen in that year’s United Hunts Cup at Cheltenham’s National Hunt meeting.

He was also responsible for the daily preparation of jumpers officially trained under the name of Katie Gaze, based at Ross-on-Wye. He continued to ride her horses in point-to-points and under rules after joining her, winning five Open Races on Frozen Dawn in 1970, including Henry’s second success in the Lady Dudley Cup. 

He achieved the last three of his 20 winners under rules during the 1970/71 season. All three were officially trained by Mrs Gaze, although Henry directed the operation. Frozen Dawn won a Uttoxeter novice chase in October and followed up in the Ansells Brewery Handicap Chase at Worcester in November, then Priceless Clown became Henry’s final winner when landing a Haydock Park novices’ hurdle on 3 December 1970.  

Henry had two Cheltenham Festival winners in 1972 with Even Dawn in the Aldsworth Hurdle and Cold Day in the County Hurdle, again both officially trained by Katie Gaze.   

He married Sally Goodwin and they set up a training operation at The Demesne, on the outskirts of Wolverhampton. It was very much a joint venture, although the licence was in Sally’s name. Together they became one of the foremost husband and wife trainers in British jump racing. 

Their best-known horse was Aonoch, whose wins included the 1985 Christmas Hurdle, and the Sandeman Hurdle at the 1986 Grand National meeting, beating reigning Champion Hurdler See You Then. Aonoch won the same Aintree race again the following year, one of six victories that season, ridden by their son Jacqui Oliver.  His victories the following season included Sandown’s Mecca Bookmakers Hurdle, when ridden by Jacqui, and Kempton’s Rendlesham Hurdle, partnered by Jimmy Duggan. 

Another notable performer for the Olivers was the New Zealand-bred Shu Fly who won what is now the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and eleven other races, ridden to victory in seven of them by Jacqui. Henry visited New Zealand  at least twice a year, returning with a batch of jumpers to sell on.

It was while training under his wife's name that Henry established a reputation for landing touches. He pulled off an £80,000 coup when County Player won a novice hurdle at Nottingham, and there was also rumour of a substantial gamble when A Sure Row won at Bangor-on-Dee. 

Henry retired from training in 1997 bit continued scouting for raw equine talent in New Zealand, accompanied by his eldest son, Nick. 

Over the years, Henry provided winning rides for Nick and his three other children, Sharon, Jacqui and Henry jnr. The latter is a former champion conditional jockey and now a successful trainer.

Henry Oliver died on Wednesday, 16 January 2008 of bowel cancer, aged 72, at his home in Broad Green, Worcestershire. His funeral took place on 31 January at nearby Whittington Church.