'His legacy will live forever' - racing says goodbye to syndicate guru Ponsonby

A host of racing's characters crammed into St Michael and All Angels Church in Lambourn to celebrate the life of charismatic owner Henry Ponsonby, the syndicate pioneer who died at the age of 74 last month.

The service was conducted by Reverend Julie Mintern, who said more than 200 people were in attendance.

Tim Easterby and Willie Carson catch up at Henry Ponsonby's memorial service

They included trainers Nicky Henderson, Alan King, Oliver Sherwood, Michael Bell, Mick Channon, Eve Johnson Houghton, Tim Easterby, Jamie Osborne, Dominic Ffrench Davis, Richard Phillips, Heather Main and Tom Ward, among others.

Legendary jockey Wille Carson was also in attendance along with modern-day riders Nico de Boinville and Tom Queally, who won the 2013 Ebor on Tiger Cliff for Ponsonby.

Other recognisable faces from the sport included David Arbuthnot, Jamie Magee, Colin Mackenzie, Chris Rutter, Corky Browne, Mark Smyly, Simon Christian, Anthony Bromley, David Minton, Simon Marsh, Kevin Mooney and Brough Scott.

Also among those to pay their respects were Richard Chugg, Malcolm Kimmins, Mick Fitzgerald, Hayley Moore, Barney Clifford, Johnny 'The Fish' Ferrand, Jonathan Powell, Liz Ampairee, Bobby McEwen and Penny Hills and Vanessa Cole, the wives of trainers Barry Hills and Paul Cole.

They were there to celebrate the life of a man credited with helping make the ownership model of syndicates the success they are today.

Tom Ward and Nico de Boinville were among the mourners

Henderson referenced that when he paid a poignant tribute to the larger-than-life Ponsonby, who enjoyed arguably his biggest winners thanks to Oregon Trail (Arkle), Tiger Cliff (Ebor) and Who Dares Wins (Northumberland Plate and Queen Alexandra Stakes).

"Syndicates, thanks to Henry, are now an enormous and vital part of British horseracing," Henderson said.

"His foresight and enthusiasm was amazing and, despite many stumbling blocks and restrictions the powers that be tried to trip him up with, he was – as always – very determined. His legacy will live forever."

Michael Bell and Colin Mackenzie reminisce about the popular character

Ponsonby's prowess as a salesman was also referenced by his older sister Elizabeth Shand, while Henderson, whose words provoked laughter from those listening, added: "He could sell ice to eskimos but was incredibly successful and his powers of persuasion were legendary."

Caroline Molony, another of Ponsonby's sisters, gave a reading, as did former racing journalist Mackenzie.

A tearful Eve Johnson Houghton, whose The Princes Poet was a winner in the Ponsonby silks at Kempton on Tuesday, said: "He was amazing, the most enthusiastic man I've ever met.

"He squeezed every drop out of life and the best thing about him was he was a good winner, but by God he was a good loser. He never dwelt on horses running bad and always had a plan to go forward."