Nicky Henderson on Corky Browne: 'I can't thank him enough - it's been great'

Nicky Henderson's breakthrough horse See You Then would never have become a three-time Champion Hurdle hero were it not for the care, attention and expertise of Corky Browne, the five-time champion trainer said on Thursday when paying the fondest of tributes to his celebrated head lad, who retires on Friday.

Henderson and Browne's fabled partnership began in 1978 and more than 3,000 winners and a stack at the highest level have followed.

Recalling how it all began, Henderson said: "Corky had been at Fred's [Winter], but not when I was there and he went to work for Roger Charlton, who had a rehabilitation yard at Windsor House, where they had a swimming pool.

"Corky was running it and when I took over to train there, Roger, quite rightly, said you'll never get a better man than Corky.

"The reason horses were sent to Roger's was because they were crocked, so they were sent swimming with Corky repairing them, which is basically the whole story of his life!

"Unfortunately, horses get injured and the most important thing is to mend them and that has been one of his greatest assets."

Home run: Corky Browne with the Gold Cup after Long Run's victoryCredit: Edward Whitaker

Henderson, who moved to his historic Seven Barrows yard in the autumn of 1992, continued: "I went to see Corky one night – we had a few drinks, I must admit – and we decided to set off together, and it's been an amazing journey. He was someone I could rely on so solidly and I knew I could call on him any hour of the day.

"We'll still see lots of him – he knows the doors are open any time – and we've loved having him around. It'll be very sad, and very strange when he's gone.

"He has missed a few days because of knee operations, and he didn't like it a few years ago when Michael Buckley got him a golf buggy to get around the yard. It's a brilliant machine with the number plate Cork 1 and he loves it now. We've had to repair him a few times – a bit like See You Then!"

That reference relates to the supremely talented, but fragile See You Then, ultimately responsible for putting Henderson on the map with his Champion Hurdle successes in 1985, 1986 and 1987.

Charlie Morlock, Corky Browne and Nicky Henderson watch on at Seven BarrowsCredit: Edward Whitaker

"It's been great fun and we've been lucky," the trainer added. "Things grew, but I think the big horse for us and one who would have struggled to do what he did without Corky was See You Then.

"He'd have never survived without that swimming pool and [vet] Frank Mahon, who bought him, and Corky were the ones patching him up, while I was trying my best not to break him.

"They were holding it together, although none of us could have gone into his box without Glyn Foster, who looked after him. Keeping See You Then sound, with help from the swimming pool and Frank, was Corky's masterpiece.

"But after him there were a lot of other horses he was fond of; My Tent Or Yours, Binocular, a horse called Raffi Nelson, and Captain Conan, who he adored, along with the Sprinter Sacres and Altiors and the other special ones."

The universally admired Browne was famed for his prowess with equine limbs and Henderson said: "Sadly, we get an awful lot of experience of it over the years and the art is spotting them before they go wrong, how the legs feel. There's been many times I've said something about a leg and Corky's disagreed, so we've had £1 on it, but we never kept count."

Browne, 77, has also helped launch the training careers of Charlie Longsdon, Jamie Snowden, Tom Symonds and Ben Pauling, something he and Henderson are deeply satisfied with.

Corky Browne (left), groom Sarwar Mohammed and Nicky Henderson (right) pose with Sprinter Sacre after his 2016 Champion Chase triumphCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Everybody respected him enormously and they were very fond of him," said the 68-year-old Henderson. "They would get bollockings – and they were proper bollockings – but it would soon be forgotten and never held against anyone.

"I always said in my days with Fred it was probably [head lad] Brian Delaney whom I was watching and listening to as much as Fred, and I suspect those boys would tell you much the same about me and Corky, who was very keen to try to help them and I know he's remained in contact with them, and is very proud of their achievements."

A barbecue is planned to honour Browne and his soon-to-be ex-employer concluded: "Corky's had a great career – been in racing all his life – and his wife Diane deserves a special mention because she's always been there through the ups and downs of the job and you never know what's going to happen in this sport; plans being put aside for the sake of a horse, but Corky's been married to three things; Diane, me and the yard!

"It's the end of an area, which is a cliche, but I think I can use it and I can't thank him enough; it's been a great journey."

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