Lady Herries, trainer of Celtic Swing and Sheriff's Star, has died, aged 76.
Based at Angmering Park, in West Sussex, Lady Herries was renowned as a fine judge of equine talent and was married to the late England cricket star Colin Cowdrey, who died in 2000. She leaves three sisters.
She enjoyed her first success at the highest level with the grey Sheriff's Star in the 1989 Coronation Cup at Epsom and won the 1998 Caulfield Cup in Australia with Taufan's Melody.
Lady Herries will, however, perhaps be best remembered by the exploits of Celtic Swing.
Owned by Peter Savill, the colt was a devastating winner of the Racing Post Trophy at Doncaster in 1994, slamming Annus Mirabilis by 12 lengths in what remains one of the great performances by a two-year-old.
On just his second start as a youngster he was eight lengths too good for Singspiel at Ascot.
He went on to be beaten a head by Pennekamp in the 2000 Guineas the following season before winning the French Derby, running at Chantilly in preference to Epsom.
His last start came when eighth to Winged Love in the Irish Derby at the Curragh.
Savill told Press Association Sport: "I only found out she had been ill for some time on Monday, so it's a very sad day. She was a wonderful lady and I spent many happy days with her and Colin Cowdrey.
"She actually trained two Group One winners for me, which in itself was a fine achievement.
"River North progressed considerably from where he had been when he was younger to win the Aral Pokal in Germany, beating Monsun.
"Then Celtic Swing came along. That day at Doncaster and the French Derby were wonderful, but his second run at Ascot in the Hyperion (Conditions Stakes) will also live with me for a long time.
"He beat Singspiel, who nobody realised would have been as good as he was, by eight lengths, pulling up and breaking the track record in the process.
"He was obviously an exceptional horse, but I'm sure he wouldn't have achieved all he had done without Lady Herries.
"He didn't have the best confirmation and she nursed him along extremely well, always looking after the best interests of the horse.
"I always had total confidence in her as a trainer."
Trainer William Knight operates from Lower Coombe Stables, with full use of the Angmering estate made famous by Lady Herries.
He said: "She had been poorly for a while and had been in and out of hospital. She was a very kind and generous lady, who welcomed me to Angmering Park when I came down to start training nine years ago.
"She was always there for a bit of advice when needed.
"Everyone round here will be missing her because she was a lovely lady and a good trainer. She was a shrewd trainer and loved her horses and all her animals."
Kevin Darley revealed he is in Lady Herries' debt for not only did he ride Celtic Swing in all his seven starts, but River North's victory in Germany provided him with his maiden Group One triumph.
"It's very sad news indeed," said the retired former champion Flat jockey.
"Celtic Swing was probably the horse that launched my career. I went down to Lady Anne's to look at another horse and I said to her what a nice-looking horse Celtic Swing was.
"I had a sit on him and Peter Savill bought both horses. The other horse won first time out, but then sadly died of colic. As for Celtic Swing, the rest is history.
"Lady Anne was unique. She loved her horses and could give them that individual treatment they needed.
"She gave me my first Group One winner in River North when he won the Aral Pokal in 1994. We bought him out of Sir Michael Stoute's yard on the recommendation of Maxine Cowdrey (former jockey and daughter-in-law of Colin Cowdrey)."
