Farewell to jockey who rode the great Mill Reef to Derby success

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Horse And Hound

Racehorse Mill Reef, ridden by jockey Geoff Lewis, being led away by his owner Paul Mellon after his victory at the Derby at Epsom, England, June 2nd 1971. (Photo by Dennis Oulds/Central Press/Getty Images)

Geoff Lewis, the great Welsh jockey known for his success with Mill Reef died on 27 August, aged 89.

Geoff was born in Talgarth in 1935 and, after the end of World War II, he and his family moved to London. When he was 16, he became an apprentice to trainer Ron Smyth and in 1953, he rode his first winner, Eastern Imp, at Epsom.

In the late 1950s, Geoff became stable jockey to Peter Hastings-Bass at Kingsclere, Hampshire. Their successes together included the 1958 Coronation Stakes with St Lucia, and the Vernons Gold Cup Handicap in 1962 and the 1963 July Cup, both with Secret Step.

In 1964, Mr Hastings-Bass died from cancer and Ian Balding succeeded him at Kingsclere. Under Ian, Geoff was runner-up in the 1965 1,000 Guineas and the Oaks with Berkeley Springs, with whom he had won the Cheveley Park Stakes.
Geoff’s most notable Kingsclere ride was Mill Reef, with whom he built up a famed partnership, riding him in all his races and winning 12. Their victories included the Epsom Derby, the King George VI and the Prix de L’Arc de Triomphe, all in 1971.

Among his other achievements, Geoff landed the 2,000 Guineas double at Newmarket and Curragh, in 1969 with the John Sutcliffe-trained Right Tack, and in 1973 he won the 1,000 Guineas and Oaks with Mysterious, trained by Noel Murless.
By the time he retired from the saddle in 1979, he had ridden 1,880 winners. He took out his trainer’s licence and went on to saddle 500 winners, calling time on his racing career in 1999.

Last year, Geoff received the lifetime achievement award at the Welsh Horse Racing Awards, collected on his behalf by his daughter Mary and his grandchildren Luci and Alex.

A spokesperson for Chepstow racecourse said Wales “has lost one of its greatest sporting pioneers”.

Geoff is survived by his wife Noelene, Mary and his grandchildren.