Steve Cauthen: 'Barry Hills taught me how to be a man and ignited my passion to want to be the best'

Steve Cauthen on Saturday credited Barry Hills for reigniting his riding career as he led the tributes to the Lambourn legend who has died at the age of 88.

Cauthen's career in the US had hit rock bottom when prominent owner-breeder Robert Sangster offered him the chance to move to Britain to ride for him and Hills in 1979 and it did not take the 'Kentucky Kid' long to strike up a formidable partnership with Hills. 

They enjoyed immediate success together with Earl of Sefton winner Hawaiian Sound and Gordon Richards Stakes scorer Sexton Blake before Tap On Wood won the 1979 2,000 Guineas.  

As well as a winning relationship on the track, Cauthen built a watertight friendship off it with Hills, a trainer renowned for his combustible nature but who quickly warmed to his new stable jockey. 

"When I landed at the airport I said to Barry, 'Do you want me to put my case in the trunk?' He replied, 'It's not a f***ing trunk here, it's a boot!' I thought, 'What the hell have I got myself into', but it didn't take long for us to understand each other. 

Barry Hills (right) returns to the Newmarket winner's enclosure after Cormorant Wood and Steve Cauthen's win in the 1983 Champion Stakes Credit: Gerry Cranham (racingpost.com/photos)

"We had a great trust in each other and he really was an unbelievable trainer. He was great at placing horses and knew exactly where they belonged."

Before departing for the vacant position as number-one rider to Sir Henry Cecil, Cauthen partnered Gildoran to Gold Cup success for Hills in 1984. He retired from the saddle nine years later, but his connection with the Hills family never waned.

"Our friendship grew and grew and we cared about each other," said Cauthen. "I love Barry and Penny, who made me feel welcome from the start.

"Barry taught me how to be a man and really ignited my passion to want to be the best I could be. It's easy to lose track of that, but Barry wanted to be a winner. 

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"He worked his way up and wasn't going back. He did everything he wanted to do and he did it with great people. He loved making plans with Robert Sangster and Bobby McAlpine, and he and Penny had a great love together. This will be tough on Penny, but he will always be by her side."

Despite Cauthen winning the Derby twice in three years for Cecil, success for Gildoran at Royal Ascot was arguably the win that meant most to him.

"One of the happiest moments I've ever had was walking into the winner's enclosure at Ascot on Gildoran," he added. "That was right after I'd announced I was going to Henry's and to win that for Barry and Robert was just a great moment.

"There was never a tougher time for me than when I left to go to Henry's because I loved Barry and Penny. They were like family and still are. It was like leaving a mentor and a dad, but his voice will always be in my head." 

Cauthen, aged 18, with Hills at Salisbury in 1979Credit: Central Press (Getty Images)

Sangster, who died in 2004, played an integral role in Hills's training career and they were great friends on and off the track. 

“They had some wonderful times together," said Sangster’s son Ben. "He was a gentleman and we were all privileged to be associated with him and to have known him. They just don’t make them like Barry anymore. All our condolences have to go to his wonderful wife Penny, Richard, Michael, George and Charlie at this sad time. He was an absolutely wonderful trainer.”

Hills also trained more than 50 winners for Bill Gredley, including the likes of Group 2 winners Ozone Friendly, Chancellor and Chesham winner Whazzat. 

Gredley’s son Tim said: “We're very saddened to hear of Barry’s passing. The Gredley and Hills families have been close for a long time with my father and Barry having many winners together with a lot of fun along the way. What a great character racing has lost, but what an amazing career Barry had.”

The likes of Michael Blanshard, Neville Callaghan, Peter Chapple-Hyam, Ron Sheather, Mark Usher and Chris Wall all spent time with Hills before launching their own training careers, while as well as sons Michael and Richard, top jockeys Willie Carson, Ernie Johnson, Cash Asmussen, Darryll Holland, Pat Eddery and Alan Munro all worked for Hills for significant periods. 

"If you wanted to learn he was very good to you, but you had to show him that. There could be no sitting back."Credit: Julian Herbert (Getty Images)

Ray Cochrane joined the trainer straight from school and spent the first five years of his career with Hills. 

"He gave chances to a lot of people," said Cochrane, who won nine races on the Hills-trained Nagwa as an apprentice. "If you wanted to learn he was very good to you, but you had to show him that. There could be no sitting back.

"A lot of people don't know this, but Barry had a kind side to him. If you went down there in the evening after he'd had his supper and a gin and tonic or glass of wine, you could sit there and have a really good laugh with him. 

"For a self-made man, over 3,000 is a formidable number of winners to train and a lot of good people went through that yard. It's some legacy."

Barry Hills 1937-2025:

Barry Hills, legendary trainer and head of a major racing dynasty, dies at the age of 88 

'He did it all from scratch' - 'streetfighter' Barry Hills conquered racing's peaks and became a Lambourn legend 

Five stars: Arc hero Rheingold heads the list of the best horses Barry Hills trained 

Barry Hills: a man with a razor-sharp sense of humour and a tongue that could make shrinking violets of the most robust

'It took several months to get all the money on' - Barry Hills on the gamble which launched a legacy