Sir Henry Cecil: how an instinct for humans as well as horses secured the Frankel genius's lasting legacy
Ten years after the death of Sir Henry Cecil, Peter Thomas looks back at the man, his horses and his lasting impact
When Sir Henry Cecil died ten years ago on Sunday he was celebrated as one of the greatest trainers we've ever seen. Having struggled through his years of turmoil and isolation, he'd regrouped, buoyed by the help of good friends, and ended his life amid uplands brightly lit by the best horse he, perhaps anybody, had ever trained.
Frankel was Cecil's parting shot, the horse who put into a nutshell the instinctive genius of the ten-time champion trainer. As the mighty beast begins to compile a stallion career that seems likely to involve the creation of lasting dynasties, now is a good time to reflect on Cecil's contribution to the ongoing story.
The man who coaxed an unbeaten 14-race career out of the son of Galileo had been acclaimed for his rare gift many times, but this was his magnum opus, and those closest to him are happy to recognise that in performing it he left behind him a legacy that will shape the thoroughbred breed for generations.
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- 'It's so wonderful to be here. If you're the only person in a wheelchair you find people tend to avoid you. Here you feel ordinary'
- 'I was in so much pain - I needed the time off for my mind and my body'
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