'What a man, what a legend and what a life' - former trainer Mick Naughton dies at 82

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Former trainer Mick Naughton, who "had racing in his blood and in his DNA", has died at the age of 82.

Born in North Yorkshire, he rode in cross-country events and won gymkhanas before starting as a Flat apprentice with Sam Hall in Middleham then switching to his brother Charlie Hall over jumps.

Naughton rode his first winner on Breck Road in a novice hurdle at Catterick in 1965 and gained his biggest success on Yussef in a valuable handicap hurdle in front of the ITV cameras as Doncaster the following year.

But his riding career was ended by a badly broken leg he suffered when his mount swerved into the rails during a chase at Market Rasen on Easter Monday in 1967.

Naughton turned to training at a yard on Lord Zetland’s estate in Richmond and his first winner was Collingwood, who went on to finish second in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury and the Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown.

The closest he came to Cheltenham Festival victory was when Allten Glazed finished second in the Arkle Chase in 1987, beaten three-quarters of a length by Gala's Image, whose jockey Richard Linley dislocated his collar-bone at the final fence.

Naughton felt that injury actually helped the winner and said later: "Richard was in so much pain and not able to ride him properly, he was flapping about. That seemed to inspire the horse to put his best foot forward. Just my luck!"

Allten Glazed was ridden by Chris Grant, who said: "I rode a fair few winners for Mick over the years. The Vintner was another decent horse of his that I rode.

"Mick was a wonderful character, I got on really well with him. He was great to ride for, once you knew the horses he left it to you. He was a happy-go-lucky sort of guy but he had a lot of success and he was well able to do the job if he had the animal."

Naughton was a dual-purpose trainer and his best Flat horse was the sprinter Umbelata, who won the Great St Wilfrid Handicap at Ripon in 1987 and the Listed Bentinck Stakes at Newmarket the following year.

Mick Naughton (right) with Mick Easterby

He had trained 311 winners by the time he gave up his licence in 1994. He was succeeded by his then wife Muriel, a pioneer female rider.

Naughton spent four years working in Singapore before returning to Yorkshire and making frequent appearances as a pundit on William Hill Radio.

"His whole life was to do with racing, it was in his blood and in his DNA," said Emma Hollinrake, whose late mother Muriel was Naughton's partner for more than 20 years.

"He had connections with the Queen Mother, he sold her a horse that he trained and she adored him. He used to go to afternoon tea with her at Royal Ascot. What a man, what a legend and what a life."

Funeral details have yet to be announced.

Mick Naughton factfile

Full name Michael Paul Naughton

Born April 16, 1944

Apprenticed to Sam Hall, Middleham; Charlie Hall, Towton, Tadcaster

First winner as jockey Breck Road, over hurdles, Catterick, February 20, 1965

Big-race winner as jockey Yussef (1966 Quality Tools of Sheffield Hurdle)

Total wins as jockey 16

Stables as trainer High Gingerfield Lodge, Richmond, North Yorkshire 1973-94

First winner as trainer Collingwood, Teesside Park, November 12, 1973

First Flat winner Chinese Falcon, Hamilton, September 9, 1975

Listed winner Umbelata (1988 Bentinck Stakes)

Great St Wilfrid Handicap winner Umbelata (1987)

Mecca Bookmakers' Hurdle winner (Sandown) Allten Glazed (1982)

Other big-race winners The Vintner (1980 Ladbroke Trophy Chase, Newcastle), Red Cleric (1981 Timeform Chasers & Hurdlers Chase, Ayr), Allten Glazed (1982 Haig Whisky Novices' Hurdle Final, Newcastle), Wibis Range (1982 Northern Free Handicap, 1983 Thirsk Hunt Cup)Notable runners-up Collingwood (1975 Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup, 1976 Whitbread Gold Cup), Migelitto (1979 Ascot Stakes), Kingswick (1984 November Handicap), Allten Glazed (1987 Arkle Challenge Trophy)

Last winner Shareoftheaction, Southwell, April 25, 1994

Most wins in a season 32 in 1992 (Flat)

Total wins as trainer 311 (170 jumps, 141 Flat)

Wife  Muriel Naughton (pioneer woman jockey & Richmond trainer)

Compiled by John Randall