'A very good judge of a horse and a nice guy too' - Henry Candy leads tributes after death of Group 1-winning rider Philip Waldron

Philip Waldron was remembered on Thursday as a jockey of great skill on the gallops and the racecourse after the multiple Group 1-winning rider died aged 75.

Champion apprentice in 1970, Waldron flourished as stable jockey to Henry Candy in the years that followed, landing major handicaps and Group races alongside his top-level successes.

The relationship reached its zenith with Master Willie, on whom Waldron won the 1980 Benson & Hedges Gold Cup (now the Juddmonte International), having chased home Henbit in that year’s Derby at Epsom.

The following year, Master Willie landed the Eclipse, Coronation Cup and Jockey Club Stakes, while Waldron and Candy also combined to win the Dewhurst Stakes with Wind And Wuthering, who was named 1981 champion two-year-old.

Candy said: “We had a few good years together and he was a good stable jockey for us. I think my father had initially tried to get Pat Eddery to ride for us, but he went to Peter Walwyn and Philip came to us, which worked out well. 

“I remember him being a very good judge of a horse at home. He used to come in twice a week to ride work, and he was very good at telling you accurately about a horse. When it came to races he was excellent as well, very strong. 

“He was a nice guy too. He was brilliant to get along with and we used to go racing plenty together.”

At the end of 1981, Waldron left his role with Candy to become retained rider for Esal Commodities, for whom he had won the Richmond Stakes at Goodwood the same year.

Candy said: “They made him an offer he had to take. We’d had a very good patch, but perhaps didn’t obviously have the same firepower, so it was the logical thing to do and never caused any problems.”

Waldron’s successes included 21 wins in the royal colours of Queen Elizabeth II, while the latter stages of his career were spent riding in the Far East prior to his retirement in 1996.

Following his retirement from the saddle, Waldron worked as a mentor and coach for apprentice jockeys in Hong Kong, including arranging overseas trips for them to gain experience riding on the gallops for trainers Barry Hills and Richard Hannon Snr.

Waldron also took on the role of starter in Hong Kong in 2000, remaining in the role until his retirement in 2014. He returned to Europe to live in Spain, where he stayed until his death on Thursday.

He is survived by his son, Tim, and granddaughter Ella.

Philip Waldron CV

Full name Philip Waldron
Born Reading, May 27, 1950
Father Alfred Waldron (lorry driver)
Apprenticed to Ian Balding, Kingsclere, Hampshire
First winner Aldie, Bath, July 5, 1969
First big-race winners Clip Joint (1970 King George V Handicap), Morris Dancer (1970 Rose of York Handicap)
First Group winner Martinmas (1972 Greenham Stakes)
Coronation Cup winner Master Willie (1981)
Eclipse Stakes winner Master Willie (1981)
Benson & Hedges Gold Cup winner Master Willie (1980)
Grand Prix de Paris winner Yawa (1983)
Dewhurst Stakes winner Wind And Wuthering (1981)
Jockey Club Stakes winner Master Willie (1981)
Jockey Club Cup winners Nicholas Bill (1979), Centroline (1981)
Other notable Group winners Centrocon (1976 Lancashire Oaks), Quay Line (1979 Park Hill Stakes), Nicholas Bill (1980 Princess of Wales's Stakes, Geoffrey Freer Stakes)
Other big-handicap winners Negus (1972 Cambridgeshire), Assured (1977 Cesarewitch), Ahonoora (1978 Stewards' Cup), Pipedreamer (1979 Royal Hunt Cup, Bunbury Cup)
Derby runner-up Master Willie (1980, to Henbit)
Champion two-year-old Wind And Wuthering (1981)
Group 1 wins 5
Group wins in Britain 15
Champion apprentice 1970 (beat Pat Eddery 59-57)
Highest position in jockeys' table 11th in 1971
Most wins in a season 64 in 1971
Total wins in Britain 743 (1969-87)
Compiled by John Randall