Death of Sergeant Cecil breeder Don Hazzard aged 93

Tributes have been paid to Don Hazzard, best known in racing circles as the breeder of mighty stayer Sergeant Cecil, who has died aged 93.

Hazzard produced the hugely popular chestnut from Jadidh, a mare he took on from Hamdan Al Maktoum and who became a six-time hurdle winner in his colours.

Sired by the sprinter King’s Signet, Sergeant Cecil was owned by Hazzard’s friend Terry Cooper and is most famous for his extraordinary handicap treble for trainer Rod Millman and jockey Alan Munro in 2005 when he landed the Northumberland Plate, Ebor and Cesarewitch.

He was to later claim the Yorkshire, Lonsdale and Doncaster Cups, and finally reached the Group 1 pinnacle in the 2006 Prix du Cadran.

Hazzard, who also owned horses over the years with the likes of Mark Gillard and Seamus Mullins, ran a long-standing family plant nursery business in the Wiltshire town of Mere with late wife Janet.

His son, Clive, has taken over the business, while he also leaves a daughter, Sandra, and grandchildren Richard, James and Peter. No funeral arrangements have been made as yet.

Sergeant Cecil (second right) winning the Prix du Cadran at Longchamp in 2006Credit: Edward Whitaker

"I first met Don when I was going to buy a horse for myself from an advert I’d seen," said Cooper. "The horse was too good for me, but the two of us got on well and he became my best friend. We often went racing together when Jadidh was running. When Jadidh had Sergeant Cecil we did a deal together and the rest is history.

"He was someone you could trust with anything, just a very nice man."

Another friend of Hazzard’s was West Country-based journalist David Briers, who added: "Don said he had no regrets about selling Sergeant Cecil - as a small breeder who would have been in his 70s at the time, he couldn’t really cope with having him. Thankfully a few breeders’ premium prizes helped too!"

There is, at least, some happy news about the horse who brought them so much joy until his retirement in 2008.

Cooper reported: "Cecil lives at Parley Equestrian Centre near Bournemouth and I try to visit him most weeks. He’s 21 now but still looks absolutely fantastic."

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