Bill Elsey

Racehorse trainer BILL ELSEY, who has died at 97, was perhaps the most successful Yorkshire racehorse trainer of his generation and, until the success of Tim Easterby’s Bollin Eric in 2002, the last from the North to win the St Leger.

That was in 1973, when Frankie Durr romped home on Peleid at 28-1, beating Joe Mercer and Buoy by two and a half lengths.

Six years earlier, Bill had seen victory in the Oaks with Pia, and his trophy cabinet also took in the Eclipse at Sandown in 1962, the Lockinge at Newbury in 1978 and the St James’s Palace Stakes at Ascot the year before.

He was from a racing family – his grandfather, William, who was based in Lincolnshire, was considered the best Flat trainer of his time and his father, Charles, who died in 1966, was one of the dominant racing figures in the North for more than 30 years, racking up some 1,500 winners including four classics.

But Bill’s early life was dominated by flying as much as by racing.

He had joined the RAF during the Second World War and took part in the Berlin airlift in the years that followed, before finally grounding himself in the turf.

He joined his father at Highfield Stables in Malton – then among the leading yards in the country – initially as his assistant, and took over the license in 1961.

He remained dispassionate when in 2002 he recalled his greatest success.

“Peleid was a good horse all right and it wasn’t such a shock to us when he won,” he said. “He had been fourth to Bonne Noel in that year’s Ebor which we’d worked out had been run in a better time than the Voltigeur.

“But my favourite memory is of Pia winning the Oaks for Countess Batthyany to give me my first Classic winner – something you always savour.”

Elsey retired in 1996. He is survived by six children, six grandchildren, and his second wife, Susie.