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Barry Hills on betting, the BHA and finding retirement boring

Julian Muscat talks to the legendary trainer 50 years after his first winner

Barry Hills at his home from home in Newmarket during Craven week
Barry Hills at his home from home in Newmarket during Craven weekCredit: Edward Whitaker

It was nothing less than you'd expect from Barry Hills. The man with the devil's eye for detail was initially surprised to hear that he'd trained his first winner 50 years ago. Two days later, having refreshed his memory ahead of our meeting, he was right up with the pace.

"It was up at Thirsk," he starts. "I don't think I was there; I was probably at Newbury that day. April 18, 1969. La Dolce Vita had 7st 8lbs and was ridden by Ernie Johnson in a two-year-old maiden. She wasn't very good but that was the start of it. I'm pretty sure I had 18 winners that first year."

Hills may be 82 but none of the drivers that propelled him to improbable heights have gathered dust – least of all his memory, which remains razor sharp. His tongue can be of the same hue, too. The difference now is that he can now smile when reminded of the spate of sobriquets he attracted in his heyday.

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