Peter Tellwright, breeder of Rebelline and Rock City, dies aged 90

Group 1-winning breeder Peter Tellwright has died at the age of 90. Tellwright, who bred from his Tyrley Castle Stud in Shropshire with wife Sylvia, was responsible for the likes of the classy Rebelline and the prolific Rock City.

He was born and raised in Trentham and spent his working days at Biltons Tableware in Stoke. Besides his breeding activities at his Market Drayton stud, Tellwright was also a familiar face on the point-to-point scene, and spent a 25-year tenure as the secretary of the North Staffordshire Hunt.

He took over the position from his father, and was in turn succeeded by his own son, John.

Rebelline was bred by Tellwright from the Rainbow Quest mare Fleeting Rainbow, and having been sold at the 1998 Tattersalls December Foal Sales, went on to land a host of major prizes for Lady O'Reilly and Kevin Prendergast.

Her victories included the Pretty Polly Stakes at three and the following year's Group 1 Tattersalls Gold Cup, in which she saw off the likes of Bach, Nayef and Tobougg.

In 2002 Tellwright was presented with the Langham Cup, given to a small breeder deserving special merit, at the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association awards evening for his exploits with Rebelline.

Rock City: won the Coventry, July and Gimcrack StakesCredit: Unknown

He also bred Rock City, who won the Coventry, July and Gimcrack Stakes during a stellar juvenile campaign for Richard Hannon snr and owner Tony Budge. The son of Ballad Rock returned at three to win the Greenham and the Criterion Stakes.

As an owner, his distinctive brown silks with white sleeves and brown and white quartered cap were carried to success by the likes of Cresta Gold, winner of the 2006 Cumberland Plate, and, more recently, by the useful Raven's Pass filly Flying North.

Tellwright also enjoyed success in the sales ring, most notably when selling Ingot Of Gold, a filly from the fourth crop of Dubawi, to Richard Frisby for 270,000gns through Furnace Mill Stud at the 2010 Tattersalls December Foal Sale.

"He was just fun to be with," said Tellwright's nephew Kirkland Tellwright, clerk of the course at Haydock. "He approached everything in life with enthusiasm. He was very supportive of anyone he took under his wing and he was a great mentor to me.

"He was very much a part of the hunting and point-to-point scene. With his breeding, he started with jumpers at that end of the spectrum and then progressed to the Flat, he kept trading his way up.

"He very much enjoyed looking at and assessing horses. Some people have a gift for looking at the physique of a horse, and he very much had that gift."

Flying North (left) carries Peter Tellwright's colours to victory at AscotCredit: Alan Crowhurst

As well as breeding his own stock at Tyrley Castle Stud, Tellwright stood Ascot Gold Cup hero Twilight Alley as a National Hunt stallion during the 1970s.

The son of Alycidon is best remembered for siring Midnight Court, winner of the 1978 Cheltenham Gold Cup for trainer Fred Winter.

Following a private funeral, a memorial service will take place at a later date.

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