'A fantastic guy, one of the best'- commentator and owner dies at 88

Northern jump racing is in mourning after the death of former commentator, long-standing owner and "real gentleman" Varlien Vyner-Brooks at the age of 88.

A solicitor by trade, he owned horses for more than 60 years and provided a reference when Ginger McCain took out a training licence in Southport in the 1960s.

After retiring to Cumbria, he had horses with Cartmel trainer Jimmy Moffatt, who said: "I trained for him for 15 years and he had 28 winners. Altruism holds the track record at Cartmel [over 2m1f] and Varlien was very proud of that – he nearly fainted when I told him, he was so thrilled.

Fantasy King and Altruism gave Varlien Vyner-Brooks a one-two in a 2m1f chase at Cartmel in 2016Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"You often have bad news to pass on to an owner but I've never seen anyone take it so much in his stride, we never had a crossed word."

Vyner-Brooks, who was also a horticulturist and served as a judge at the Chelsea Flower Show, called races from Bangor north to Scotland and was renowned for his rich voice and precise pronunciation.

Jonathan Turner, who took Vyner-Brooks's place on the northern circuit when he retired in 1986, said: "He was old style and very precise. And people forget that there was no close circuit television or monitor then - you just had a pair of binoculars and a microphone hung round your neck. He was a man of many parts and he'll be much missed."

Paying further tribute, Moffatt added: "He climbed all the Munro mountains in Scotland after the age of 50 and he was met at the top of the last one by Bear Grylls, who was also best man at the wedding of his son Charles.

"He was a fantastic guy, one of the best. He was a real gentleman with a great understanding of racing and horses. He was interested in their development and welfare and he was a pleasure to train for.

Jimmy Moffatt: 'He was a pleasure to train for'Credit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"I have great memories of him. He was very caring, a lovely man. Everyone seemed to know him and he'll be sadly missed."

Vyner-Brooks is survived by his wife Elizabeth and four children. Funeral details have yet to be announced.