Mel Brittain has died at the age of 71...

didnt realise Mel was that old, tho still no age these days..sad news indeed

71 no age?

sad news rip.

Very sad news.  Grey Desire was an old fav and Dublin Lad remains one of the fastest horses I've seen (over 4.5f anyway).

Trainer Mel Brittain dies at the age of 71.
BY GRAHAM GREEN AND COLIN RUSSELL

YORKSHIRE trainer Mel Brittain died on Thursday morning at the age of 71.

A successful businessman who had horses in training before taking out a licence in 1985, Brittain produced over 500 winners from Northgate Lodge Stables at Warthill, between York and Malton, while he has also nurtured the careers of a number of jockeys who went on to make a name for themselves in the sport.

Brittain’s best known horses were Grey Desire, who finished runner-up in the Group 1 July Cup, Dublin Lad, whose victories includes the Gosforth Park Cup, and Grey Kingdom.

It is planned that Brittain's son Antony, who has been his assistant, will take over the training operation.

A relative late-comer to racing, Brittain trained to be a plumber and for a spell worked in that role at York racecourse before he set up his own steel business in his native York in 1972.

Even before his long illness Brittain, whose best season numerically came in 1988 when he had 44 winners, would rarely been seen at racecourses, apart from his local tracks Beverley, Thirsk and York.

He preferred to stay at home to watch the action on television, leaving on-course duties to former jump jockey Ron Forsyth, who was a key player throughout his training career.

A softly spoken, modest man, Brittain will also be remembered as a trainer of jockeys, notably Alan Munro and David Allan, who served their apprenticeships under the trainer.

Brittain enjoyed success as an owner, trainer and breeder, his best horse being Grey Desire, whose 13 wins included the Abernant and Duke of York Stakes and who went on to become a successful stallion.

Bought for just 3,800 guineas as a yearling, Grey Desire began his racing career under the care of Mick Easterby, before being transferred to Brittain's newly established training base at Northgate Lodge.

Easterby said: "Mel was a wonderful chap and we were big friends. He was a very good trainer and will be sorely missed by everybody in racing who knew him. It's a very sad day."

Tributes to Brittain poured in on Twitter with trainer Alan McCabe writing: “Very sorry to hear of the loss of Mel Brittain this morning. A very good trainer and a top man, RIP.”

Anthea Morshead, assistant clerk of the course at York, wrote: “All @yorkracecourse are very sorry to hear York trainer, Mel Brittain, has passed away. He will be sadly missed. Condolences to his family.

Sad news to read this.

great memories with grey kingdom...RIP

Sad news. RIP Mel.

ONLY SAD NEWS IF YOU KNOW THE PERSON..OTHERWISE IRRELEVANT THREAD

Winged love has died

R.I.P Mel B.

71 is no age !

What is your problem ?

Are you a religious zealot ! That believes in the three score and ten maxim ? Idiot.

you say 71 is no age ?????

most folk who are 71 are knackered

. That should be 82 

Even a thread like this on here these days, starting out as an opportunity to pay respects to someone, turns into a petty slagging match over what constitutes a decent age to live to.......

You're like fkucing five year olds.......

jonjo, totally agree. The very first thing I thought about when I read that Mel Brittain had passed was about his horse Grey Desire and to pay my respects.

I just don't get the mindset of people on here some of the time on a thread such as this. I don't get them at all personally. Must have very shallow, hollow lives.

The ONLY inside info that has come my way,that was actually any good, was from the Brittain yard.

Didn't last long as the jockey involved went back to Ireland,was spot on while it lasted though.

RIP Mel

R.I.P. Mel

Thanks for LUCKY LODGE ...@ 40 ISH BSP --- IND 28/1

THE NIGHT AT WOLVES WHEN YOU WERE IN A RICH VAIN