Sir Henry Cecil’s widow Jane has sent out the first winners for the stable since the 10-time champion trainer’s death earlier this week.
Fittingly the first win came courtesy of Morpheus, a half-brother of Frankel, the brilliant horse that had lit up Cecil’s twilight years.
Cecil died on Tuesday at the age of 70 after a long battle with stomach cancer.
But even up to his death he was making plans for his horses which are now in the care of his wife who has been granted a temporary licence until the end of the season.
“Jane and the whole team at Warren Place are determined to keep the flag flying,” said Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Khalid Abdullah, told the Racing Post.
“All of what’s happening now is entirely the result of Henry’s work and planning, so from that point of view this is as he would have wished.
Morpheus was ridden to victory by James Doyle who wore a black armband in memory of the legendary trainer’s passing.
“It is nice to be part of that. Sir Henry was a trainer I’ve always admired,” Doyle said.
Cecil, who was British champion trainer 10 times and trained the winner of the Epsom Derby four times, had a memorable time on the racetrack over the past three seasons with the unbeaten Frankel.
The colt, owned by Saudi prince Abdullah, won all his 14 races – 10 of them at Group One level – and retired as officially the best ever seen.
Minutes after the success of Morpheus another Cecil runner, Songbird, won at Yarmouth to complete an across-the-card double for the grieving yard.
“Henry put everything into place. He had done all the entries and got his Ascot entries together. We are hoping for the luck and it’s lovely to see a couple of winners today,” Mike Marshall, long-time assistant to Cecil, told At The Races.
“It’s what Henry was about. There’s a sombre mood but it’s nice to get a couple of winners. The most important thing is that everyone remembers Henry for the happy times.”
