Only Welshman ever to ride the winner of The Derby. Do feel that in the obits and tributes though that not enough has been said about Geoff Lewis' training career. I wasn't born to see him ride but in my early days can certainly remember him having runners in many of the top races - he won a July Cup and even had a horse placed in another Derby. RIP.
Good point on his training career but I suppose that Mill Reef was such a legend he just overshadows everything else. A bit like Pat Taafe who will always be remembered as Arkle's jockey but also trained Captain Christy to win the Gold Cup (or so @Tamerlo and @Bustino74 tell me).
Fine jockey and apparently good bloke. He was Epsom based initially riding first as an apprentice then as jockey for Ron Smyth. He also rode regularly for Brian Swift and John Sutcliffe jnr. As time went on he was often seen riding for Ian Balding and he had a good relationship with his excellent miler Silly Season. His luck improved in 1968 when he picked up the ride on the John Sutcliffe trained Jimmy Reppin in the 2000G and finished 3rd. Later he went on to win on him in the Sussex Stakes. That same year he took over as Right Tack's regular partner and won the Middle Park Stakes on him and then his first Classic, the 2000G, on this John Sutcliffe trained colt in '69. In 1970 he went to Salisbury to ride a small colt on his debut in a 5f event where the favourite was an impressive previous winner, Fireside Chat. Mill Reef won easily and you'd have to say was the best maiden he ever rode. It changed his life as the Balding trained colt by Never Bend went on to win the Coventry, Gimcrack, Sirenia and Dewhurst Stakes. He became the ante-post favourite for the 1971 2000G. If things couldn't get better they then did. Sandy Barclay was sacked by Britain's leading trainer Noel Murless and Lewis was offered the job. He wanted the job but did not want to give up on Mill Reef. Murless generously agreed that he'd always be free to ride Mill Reef. Going to Warren Place he was following in the footsteps of just 4 jockeys, Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott and George Moore, being the first 3. Murless had a great start to the year winning the 1000G with Altesse Royale, though Lewis had chosen the stables' other runner Magic Flute (who later gave Lewis a win in the Coronation Stakes). Lewis made no mistakes at Epsom winning all three Group 1 races with Altesse Royale (Oaks), Lupe (Coronation Cup)and of course Mill Reef. This bonny colt went on to win the Eclipse, King George and to become the first British trained winner of the Arc. 1971 was not to be surpassed but in 1973 he rode Mysterious to victory in the 1000G, Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. Murless retired in 1976 and Lewis carried on until 1979 when he took up training at Epsom. He was a very popular jockey and his great love was golf. Also sad to see the death of Bruce Raymond, another of Racing's nice guys. A very solid jockey who rode a lot for Ryan Jarvis. Any jockey who wins 2,000races is a top jockey.
On a less glamorous note but nevertheless a fond memory of mine was that, as a young lad, I was taken to Brighton and Hove every year for summer holidays and I had told my mum that an up and coming jockey to watch was Geoff Lewis. One day when we were at the Brighton races a horse by the name of Dorothea was running with Geoff Lewis riding. My mum's name was Dorothy so of course she backed it and it duly won at 6/1. Will never forget that
