Barry Hills pays tribute after death of Nicer and Dark Angel owner Joe Corbett

Barry Hills has paid warm tribute to Joe Corbett, the owner of Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Nicer who died last month at the age of 90.

Corbett – whose late brother Atty was a trainer, winning the Sussex Stakes with Queen's Hussar and the Prix de l'Abbaye with Sweet Revenge – owned his string with wife Catherine, the sister of Robert Acton, a one-time stud manager for Sheikh Mohammed.

She had a fondness for greys, including champion juvenile fillies Desirable, who struck in the Cheveley Park Stakes in 1983, and 1989 Rockfel winner Negligent.

Their finest moment arguably came when Nicer struck in the Curragh Classic in 1993 for Hills and his son Michael.

The Hills-trained Dark Angel, who won the Middle Park in 2007 and is now a leading sire of sprinters including Battaash, also raced in Corbett's blue silks.

Other highlights came when Derby fifth The Fly was third in the St Leger in 1997 and also with Morceli, Howard Johnson's winner of the 1995 Maghull Novices' Chase at the Grand National meeting. The Glow-Worm and Calcutta also paid their way.

A portrait of Desirable hangs proudly on display in the Lambourn sitting room of Barry Hills's

"We went back a long way and the first horse I bought for him was Desirable, who cost 10,000 Irish punts in those days," Hills said. "Catherine liked greys and they had to be, preferably, a filly whose dam had won.

"Joe's business was living life. Betting, playing golf, having horses – having fun. He was very enthusiastic and a proper sports fan. He was very bright with a high IQ.

"We were friends for years and he had a lot of good horses – Nicer obviously, but Desirable was sold for one million guineas. I wouldn't know which was his favourite – whichever he won the most money on, I expect.

"I'd ring Mrs Corbett and talk about running plans and Joe would butt in and say, 'Any tips?'."

Corbett's sister Fiona was the first wife of David Cecil, the twin of legendary trainer Sir Henry, and Hills said: "He was always happy and jovial and had time for everybody. He was an old-fashioned owner when it was a sport, which it was to him. He was a good loser as well as a winner."

The funeral will take place at noon on Wednesday at St Matthew's Church in Coates, Gloucestershire, GL7 6NS, although no flowers are requested.

Bob Grace, Battaash's groom, who also looked after Nicer, recalled: "I remember when Negligent finished third in the Strensall Stakes at York – it was her last run. I went back across the track after racing and Joe was there.

"It was a windy old day, blowing everywhere, and he started getting some money out of his pocket. He said, 'What you can catch you can have'. I think I got a library ticket, a bus pass and £55! He was a lovely guy."

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