In March 1988 a nice staying horse called Merano came to New House Farm from the great Henry Cecil. Charles St George owned Merano and he had won a minor race but was otherwise of little account. Charles was a well-known owner, the most famous horse to run in his colours was of course the great Ardross who conquered all in the top-class staying division between 1980 and 1982.
Charles St George was a keen flat racing man but Henry had told him that there wasn’t a flat race long enough to get the most out of Merano. Charles then had the idea to run Merano over hurdles and Henry recommended that he send the horse to me. Merano wanted about eight miles but we’d have to settle for three and shortly after joining my yard he won races at Market Rasen and Aintree. However, that was as far as it went with jump racing for Charles and he adamantly didn’t want to send his horse over fences.
The horse was thus sold to Victor Chandler and reeled off a hat-trick in his first three runs for his new owner. However, Charles’s reluctance for Merano to jump fences was eventually borne out as, carrying the colours of Victor Chandler, he was killed in a horrific fall at the 13th fence in the Becher Chase over the Grand National fences in 1993.
Charles had previously owned a horse called Descartes at the yard, a grey that had been bought from a pal of Lester Piggott’s. After racking up a string of duck eggs Descartes had won the Scarborough Stakes over seven furlongs at Redcar ridden by Martin Hindley. Descartes was a fragile horse but despite a few setbacks, Charles kept the horse in training although it was safe to say he was one of his lesser lights. Descartes had run unplaced in a couple of hurdle races before dropping in grade in the Cranwell Selling Hurdle at Market Rasen in March 1986. It was as bad a race as you could hope to find, yet Charles’s delight when Descartes won on that Friday afternoon was testimony to a man who loved his racing regardless of the money or the status of the race.
Nothing can match the enjoyment of training for an owner who is also an enthusiast. Ardross had won eleven group races and over £400,000 (£2 million in today’s money) yet I will never forget the smile on the face of Charles St George when Descartes picked up that £694 for winning at Market Rasen. It mattered not if the horse was a Group 1 winning superstar or a modest plater, Charles had an equal love for each and every horse that carried his silks.
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