Former permit-holder and chairman of association Freddie Gray dies at 96

Freddie Gray, a successful permit-holder and ground-breaking leader of the amateur trainers' representative body for more than 20 years, has died at the age of 96.

He was best known for his exploits with Slip Up, who won ten hurdle races for his West Sussex yard, including five in 1986 alone.

"Slip Up was bred for a mile but he stayed three miles-plus and dad said he made a fool of the breeding," said his daughter Liz Pocock. "He was in the building business and had his own company, which he started from nothing and sold in the mid 1980s.

"I was doing a lot of showjumping at the time and he bought a point-to-pointer. He decided to take out a permit and at its height we had 12 horses at home. My mother Jeanne had a few horses and I had one and it was very much a family thing.

"He was all for the small man, the farmer who's got a couple of National Hunt horses in the barn, he'd never have taken out a full licence. He was an absolute gentleman, always happy on the racecourse."

Gray, whose last winner was Pocock's Lizzies Lass at Southwell in 1994, was chairman of the Permit Trainers Association from 1994-2017. Current secretary/treasurer Barbara Butterworth said: "He was extremely successful in establishing many of the same rights and benefits that licensed trainers enjoyed.

"He introduced an annual permit trainers award, took great pride in producing the annual PTA newsletter and lectured at the British Racing School at Newmarket on behalf of permit trainers.

"He was the representative on the main industry committee of the British Horseracing Board. His dedication, commitment and hard work was appreciated by so many."

Gray's wife predeceased him. The funeral will be at 12pm on Tuesday, July 19 at the Holy Trinity Church in Cuckfield. Inquiries can be sent to Paul@paulmassonfunerals.com.