RACING has been plunged into mourning following the demise of former jockey and trainer Shaun Keightley on the age of 62.
Tributes for the Cheltenham Pageant-profitable horseman poured in – together with his passing described as ‘tragic’.
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Keightley rode greater than 200 winners on the Flat and over jumps.
However his identify could greatest be remembered by some for his controversial ban from the game in 2005.
Keightley was suspended for 3 years and banned from making use of for a licence for an extra two after after the operating of Crimson Lancer at Wolverhampton in October 2003.
The incident noticed Keightley turn into the primary trainer in 20 years to be warned off the course.
He was discovered responsible of breaking 5 guidelines together with instructing the jockey Pat McCabe ‘to not trip Crimson Lancer on its deserves, however as a substitute to trip in such a method as to make sure that it could lose and/or not be positioned.”
That arguably overshadowed an in any other case massively profitable profession in racing, which continued with winners proper up till final 12 months.
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The head probably got here in 1989.
Thay 12 months he received the Coral Golden Hurdle Ultimate on Rogers Princess at March’s Cheltenham Pageant.
Three months later he received the Listed John Of Gaunt Stakes on the Flat at Haydock with Weldnaas.
As a trainer he despatched out virtually 50 winners from his yard close to Newmarket over two spells earlier than and after the ban.
Josephine Gordon rode 25 winners for Keightley and expressed her disappointment at his passing.
She informed the Racing Post: “It’s totally unhappy. He was a beloved and effectively revered man, an excellent jockey and a correct horseman. He’ll be missed.
“He was an enormous supporter of mine, he was my boss and my mate as effectively. He was straightforward to trip for and also you all the time had a superb chortle.
“When it got here to the observe there was no instruction, simply exit and do your greatest – and if he mentioned they’d an opportunity, they actually did.”
Former Newcastle Star turned trainer Mick Quinn mentioned: “Even when his sickness took its toll he was nonetheless trying on the constructive aspect of life.”
Whereas trainer Darryll Holland added: “I do not assume he let on how poorly he was and I solely texted him the opposite day. It is tragic.”
