19 Facts About Henry Cecil

Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil was a British flat racing horse trainer.

Henry Cecil was noted for his mastery at Royal Ascot, where he trained 75 winners.

Henry Cecil was knighted for services to horse racing in the Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours.

Henry Cecil was born on 11 January 1943 in a hospital near Aberdeen, ten minutes ahead of his twin brother David.

When he was still a baby, Henry Cecil's mother married Captain Henry Cecil Boyd-Rochfort, who was British flat racing Champion Trainer five times and who trained for, among others, George VI.

Henry Cecil described himself as "very late-maturing and backward", saying that he was the first boy from his prep school ever to fail Common Entrance to Eton.

From 1964 to 1968 Henry Cecil worked as an assistant at his stepfather's Freemason Lodge stable.

Henry Cecil took out his own licence to train in 1969 and that year had his first winner with Celestial Cloud at Ripon on 17 May, with Wolver Hollow winning the Eclipse Stakes in July to give Cecil his first Group One success.

Henry Cecil had his first winner at Royal Ascot the following year when Parthenon won the Queen Alexandra Stakes.

The languid, dandyish Henry Cecil, noted for his flair in clothing, went on to remarkable achievements.

Henry Cecil won three 1,000 Guineas and a further 2,000 Guineas before winning his first Epsom Derby in 1985 with Slip Anchor.

Henry Cecil maintained that they were still "great friends" and had not fallen out.

Between July 2000 and October 2006, Henry Cecil failed to train a winner in any Group One race.

Henry Cecil's stable was supported almost exclusively by the loyalty of Prince Khaled Abdulla.

In 1966, Henry Cecil married Julie Murless, the daughter of trainer Sir Noel Murless.

Henry Cecil had been conducting an affair with Natalie Payne, whom he married two years later.

Days after the story broke Henry Cecil dismissed his stable jockey Kieren Fallon for "personal reasons".

Henry Cecil was unable to be at Goodwood for Frankel's second victory in the Sussex Stakes in August 2012, but did attend the Ebor Festival at York later that month, describing Frankel's victory in the International Stakes as having made him feel "20 years better".

Henry Cecil died of cancer on 11 June 2013 in hospital in Cambridge.