Death of former trainer who excelled in finding cheap stars

Nerys Dutfield, who was adept at training inexpensive fillies to Pattern-race success, has died aged 66.

Dutfield enjoyed a lengthy training career from her base at Crabhayne Farm in Seaton, Devon, sending out winners over both codes having initially enjoyed success as an owner.

Her son Harry said yesterday: "Mum loved racing. She started off as an owner with her late husband and my late father [Simon] and they had horses with Gerald Cottrell, then with Rod Millman. Her last winner was just the other day, Present Accepted, whom my dad bred.