Legendary owner, Trevor Hemmings passes away at the age of 86.

Racing this month has been hit with the sad loss of one of its greatest and most recognisable owners. Trevor Hemmings, those famous green and gold quartered colours we’ve associated with great horses such as Many Clouds, Hedgehunter and Ballabriggs. Today, we look back on the life and legacy that was left by the man they call, Mr. Aintree. 

Trevor James Hemmings was born on the 11^th June 1935 in Woolwich, London but moved to Euxton, just north of Manchester when he was five years old. The self-made billionaire started his working life here, where he was working on diesel trains while attending a business studies night course. 

He moved from the trains to the buildings, where he started as an apprentice bricklayer. It was here where he would really excel. He learnt everything he could about the building trade, and it wasn’t long before he had his own building firms. With the business ethics to back that up, it wasn’t long before Trevor would make his fortune. 

He sold his first house building business in the early 70s for £1.5 million. A pretty penny back in those times, especially considering he sold it just before the massive financial crash in the property market.  He bought another firm and sold it on to Barratt Developments for £5.7 million. It was from these shrewd business moves where we came to know Trevor Hemmings, The racehorse owner. 

When you look back at the horses he’s owned, almost all of them delivered on high merit. The Last Fling, Cloudy Lane, Idle Talk and Albertas Run are some names of many horses that brought fame to the Hemmings silks. That, of course having excluded the names of the three warriors that awarded him the nickname “Mr. Aintree”. 

Trevor boycotted the saying “All roads lead to Cheltenham” on plenty of occasions. Of course, his silks had many remarkable wins in the festival, Vintage Clouds this year being the most recent in this year’s renewal of the Ultima Handicap Chase. But my God, there will be nothing that will compare to his three horses who won in the biggest race in worldwide National Hunt racing. The Aintree Grand National. 

Hedgehunter back in 2005 was the easiest winner in recent enough history I can remember. I know Rachael Blackmore had it practically her own way this year and Tiger Roll two years before her did it with ease. But you must remember in Hedgehunters time, the fences were bigger, the distance was a quarter of a mile longer and he still won by 14 lengths. 

You can’t ever compare horses from different generations. But you can compare conditions. And what Hedgehunter did back in 2005 made it look like he was on a schooling session in Closutton, as opposed to being in the toughest race in rules racing. 

Hard as nails and generally a very consistent horse. It is what every owner in National Hunt racing aspires their horse to be. To win five, place in twenty, from only forty attempts it shows us just how gritty and dogged the horse was. A proper staying brawler anyone would love to have to go to war with. 

Ballabriggs on the other hand was a late bloomer. In his early days he never looked like much. While Hedgehunter was consistently running good races, Ballabriggs began his career by being beaten by 25 lengths, from horses who would evidently never turn out to be anything more than average racehorses. 

It wasn’t until the horse was nine before he burst on the scene. He came from absolutely nowhere. We are talking about a horse who was getting beaten by over 10 lengths against horses that were barely rated 100 in December 2009 to winning the Kim Muir in March 2010 and the Grand National in April 2011. Jumping the guts of 50 or 60lbs in the process of the timeframe. 

The improvement shown in Ballabriggs in that short space of time is something we see once in a blue moon. He started off as something very plain and turned into racing royalty. 

In many ways it reminds me of the man who owned him, starting off his life as an average northern bricklayer apprentice while turning into one of the greatest racehorse owners of all time. That was Ballabriggs. 

But my favourite most of all is Many Clouds. What a warrior this boy was! This horse will go down as one of the greatest staying chasers of all time. Not necessarily because he was the highest rated, but he poured his life and soul on the racecourse. 

After his final race he suffered a severe heart attack and died, moments after crossing the line in front. You can have all the talent in the world in a racehorse, but if they do not have the heart to win, that talent is completely wasted. 

Many Clouds had the greatest heart and will to please connections I have ever seen, and could possibly ever will see. He, along with many other Hemmings horses will go down in Racing History forever. 

Trevor Hemmings, owner of Preston North End football club, Northern Trust Co. Ltd, Classic Lodges Ltd. and Trust Inns Ltd. along with over 100 racehorses owned was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the 2011 Birthday Honours for his hard work alongside Carers Trust. He will be fondly remembered by people far and wide in many walks of life. But has always and will always be at the top table of Racing Royalty. 

RIP Trevor.