‘The father figure of Newmarket trainers’ Wragg dies at age of 87
MULTIPLE CLASSIC-WINNING trainer Geoff Wragg has died at the age of 87.
During his first season after taking over the licence from his father, Harry, Wragg provided Lester Piggott with his ninth and last Derby success when saddling Teenoso to win the 1983 renewal of the Epsom showpiece.
Twenty-three years later, Wragg memorably came close to causing one of the biggest upsets in Derby history when 66-1 shot Dragon Dancer was beaten just a short head into second place by Sir Percy.
Another top-class performer was Pentire, who won six of his seven starts as a three-year-old in 1995, including the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Great Voltigeur at York and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown. The following year he returned to Ascot to win the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Newmarket trainer and former mayor of the town, John Berry, hailed Wragg as the “father figure of Newmarket trainers”.
“Geoff dying really is the end of an era,” he said.
“Harry trained two Derby winners and was at the top of the training tree. Geoff took over from him in 1983 and it was a seamless transition.
“For the next 30 years, virtually, he was as successful as his father had been. He always had a top horse and you could pretty much set your clock by him having something for Royal Ascot every year.
“He was an absolute gentleman and the father figure of Newmarket trainers.
“He’s been in very poor health and it was going to happen at some point, but it’s a very sad day and it leaves a big hole in the community.”
Michael Hills, who partnered Pentire to all but one of his eight career victories, said: “I worked for Geoff for six years and we had the most amazing time.
“There was Pentire winning all those races, Arcadian Heights winning the Gold Cup, Nicolotte winning the Queen Anne, First Island winning the Prince of Wales’s and Rebecca Sharp in the Coronation Stakes.
“I must have ridden about 10 Group One winners during that time.
“He was a fantastic trainer and a great man who was always an absolute pleasure to ride for.”
Wragg leaves his wife Patricia.