Racing celebrates 'larger-than-life' trainer Paul Blockley in Lambourn

Compelling evidence of Paul Blockley's popularity was provided in St Michael & All Angels on Thursday when the Lambourn church was close to capacity as racing toasted the Group 1-winning trainer.

Blockley, who died at the age of 61 last month, saddled around 300 winners in Britain, forging a reputation as a capable operator.

He enjoyed his finest hour when Zafisio won the 2008 Criterium International at Saint-Cloud and assisted long-term partner Jo Hughes when she took over the licence in 2011.

On a grey afternoon, his colourful personality was saluted and his brother Chris recalled his sibling's childhood dream of becoming a jockey as he rode ponies in their grandfather's field.

He said he would remember Blockley as a "larger-than-life character who was full of banter".

Paul Blockley: trainer died last month

Robin Trevor-Jones, Newmarket trainer Ed Dunlop's travelling head lad, paid a fond and humorous tribute to his great pal 'Blockers', whom he met as they cut their teeth in racing in the 1980s.

Lambourn trainers Clive Cox, Stan Moore, Mark Usher, Charlie Mann and Dominic Ffrench Davis were in attendance, as was Paul Midgley, who had travelled from his yard near York to say an emotional goodbye to his first boss.

"I worked for him when I left school," he said. "He was a good boss and if he liked you he'd do anything for you and if he didn't you'd soon know about it!

"But he was like a second father to me. He was really good to me and I rode him a lot of winners and we'd kept in touch ever since.

"He was a brilliant trainer and big influence on my career. He knew a good horse and bought a good horse, but he was a great guy too, the life and soul of the party."