Walter Swinburn

55, ffs no age...grew up with him riding big winners all over...RIP

Did I read somewhere the demon drink had took a hold over him ? True far to young to be taken from this world RIP.

just read it and had to check it was true, had his share of problems  r.i.p taken far too early

Jeez thats terrible news - quite simply a legend.

SHOCKING NEWS,RIP

bit to fond of the sauce,
never forget shergar , as people on here discuss good 2 to 7 shots etc,in thar derby people who,d never backed a horse before were emptying bank accounts to get on at ev,10 to 11,would be 5,s,6,s on today

sad news

R.I.P. Walter

Seen a source saying he suffered complications from epilepsy (unconfirmed)

Jesus wept that is terrible news RIP

Stunned.  Great, GREAT jockey. RIP Walter

Even in this year of almost daily famous people passing away , this is a shock.
Stellar career on the likes of Zilzal , All Along and Lammtarra but of course he will always be remembered for one horse and one out of this world performance.

RIP

RIP Walter!

This is some list of horses: 

All Along,
Green Desert,
Hatoof,
Indian Queen,
Lammtarra,
Pilsudski,
Shahrastani,
Shareef Dancer,
Shergar,
Shadeed,
Zilzal

Some great horses there

Desperately sad news.

He was responsible for my liking for the Derby and horse racing.

did he ride the filly marwell

Always remember his win in the Arc on All Along after Piggott refused the ride. R.I.P. Walter.

What terrible news. One of the supremely talented riders who were in the vanguard when I first fell in love with this sport.

I can fully understand the well documented "battles with the bottle" suffered by these guys once they hang up their boots. (Not long since we lost the wonderful, the marvellous, Pat Eddery).

From the exhilarating, often terrifying, seat-of-the-pants, soul lifting sheer joy of flying on these wonderful creatures to...

...what?

Evening stables? Pipe and slippers? Rapidly expanding waistline?

If I had to stop riding tomorrow, it would be a major part of my life taken away and I'm just a Sunday morning hacker.

Rest in peace Walter. Thanks for the memories.

awful news..........55 no age

only a few years older than myself, a real shocker and almost a year to the day since pat eddery passed - some amazing memories, was there when he won derby on lammtarra, RIP

Such a shame and so young RIP Walter

RIP some great memories

Very sad news. The Choirboy.

I loved his riding style.

Top rider. Will remember him best on Royal Applause when he swept all before him as a 2yo.

Sad day,many good memories at Church Fm RIP Wally

Shocked,class act on his day

Sad. I always felt he never got the credit for his Derby winning ride on Shahrastani as everyone was too busy laying into Greville Starkey to comment that by Swinburn kicking early enabled him to nick it. RIP.

Sad News R.I.P

Here was the Peter Bromley radio comms /ITV picture version of the '81 Derby that ex forumite Mr Badger put on You Tube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpIzPuiDN60

Really shocked, very capable pilot !

R I P Walter .

Dec 12, 2016 -- 1:11PM, pixie wrote:

Sad. I always felt he never got the credit for his Derby winning ride on Shahrastani as everyone was too busy laying into Greville Starkey to comment that by Swinburn kicking early enabled him to nick it. RIP.

Good Point.

Sharastani's Derby

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrEyGdVQzhY

Absolute shocker...anyone else remember him winning July Cup in 1981 on Marwell??

1989 was a great year too I seem to remember...

'89 was Zilzal ,Aliysa ,Musical Bliss, Shaadi

Very sad news. Gave lots of enjoyment - Also a gentleman R.I.P

stunned to hear

Aah that's sad news. Rip Walter, poor lad. No age atall

The "Choir boy" was the new wonder kid.This is how it ends,sad R.I.P Walter.

Really sad news.
His Derby ride on Lammtarra is one of the best of all time.

Hadn't seen him on course very much since he gave up training however for quite a few years he looked gaunt and unwell.I was at Epsom the boiling hot day Shergar won and i'll always remember the way he destroyed the rest of the field. Without taking away anything from the man it could be argued that given his natural ability and early achievements he didn't reach his full potential.

rip

It's so desperately sad when people you followed and grew up with up as a kid pass away

absolutely shocked by this news   only 55 FFS !!!

One of the most stylish jocks you'll ever see. RIP Wally

very very sad news he always seemed to be a shy -polite man R.I.P  walter

I followed him as a punter through his jockey and trainer days for thirty years and he was always quiet and polite.  He seemed a nice man, unlike some jockeys.

RIP Walter

What a magnificent commentary that was from Peter Bromley.

R.I.P. Walter.

Very sad news, favourite ride was getting Doyoun home in the 2000 Guineas 1988. Special memories.

He was one of the best during a time we were spoilt with great jockeys.  I don't think the BBC covered a meeting he was riding at in those days without Jimmy Lindley telling is what lovely hands he had.

Fantastic jockey, some great memories he gave my generation, I remember him stepping in on Lammtarra in the Derby, 33/1 and what a ride!

https://youtu.be/5ew19owcSN4

R.I.P much respect

Extremely sad news; great jockey on his day & there were quite a few good days

RIP

Very sad news indeed. RIP Wally.

Shocked and Speechless.

when he was an apprentice you knew he was going to go right to the top. i just really hope it was natural causes and he didn't do anything to himself.

How sad that Walter Swinburn's death will be overshadowed in tomorrow's racing press by a crook that has no place on a racecourse.

RIP Walter.......some great memories

Truly shocked - Swinburn for Stoute was a cornerstone for Saturday Yankees, seem to remember he had a serious fall near the end of his career, may be wrong but I think he suffered a head injury, may explain the epilepsy. Someone bound to know on here.
RIP Walter

2016

worst year for celeb deaths ever

Gave me one of my greatest racing memories in 1981 Derby - RIP walter

Very,very sad news. A GREAT jockey RIP :(

Swinburn suffered a terrible fall at Sha Tin in February 1996 when his mount Liffey River crashed through the rails and was in intensive care for a week with severe head and chest injuries.

He returned to win on his first ride back on Talathath at Windsor just six months later.

Francome added: "It was a shocking fall, and he made an amazing comeback - but he was happiest on a horse.

Crikey - what a shock! He's been in the States for quite some years hasn't he? I seem to remember he had a child about 15 years ago now. I remember him wheeling a pram around some racecourse somewhere, so I guess he's left a wife and family. Great shame and such a young age as well.

He was a great from a golden age of Jockeys. RIP.

i remember been at epsom on derby day 1981 walter and shergar were applauded down to the start something i have only ever seen once since for a flat horse that was 31 years later,it was a big disapointment to me shergar never got to run in the arc but walter saved the day for the brits in paris that afternoon bringing home marwell in the sprint he got a terrific reception,during the great years of the dante and the benson and hedges meetings at york walter would stay up in york and was always good for a quick chat no edge about him just a nice lad,very very sad news yet again in a rotten year.

on another note maybe i shouldnt post it on this thread but what a shame he has to share the front page of the racing post with a piece of s..t like jim best.

Well said foxy

IDKW 12 Dec 16 22:06   

shared your thoughts foxy

Shocked to the core at Walter's passing. The Choirboy along with Pat Eddery, another who departed far too early, were my two favourite jockeys of all time.  RIP

Very sad at such a young age.
One report said that he had epilepsy, I wonder if that was a consequence of his accident? Did he not have another bad one as well as the Hong Kong one?

Pat Eddery and Walter Swinburn were indeed from a golden age of racing superstars who left such brilliant memories
R.I.P

Dec 13, 2016 -- 4:03AM, Oldgit1 wrote:

Very sad at such a young age.One report said that he had epilepsy, I wonder if that was a consequence of his accident? Did he not have another bad one as well as the Hong Kong one?

Of course were speculating but a neighbour of mine a while back suffered with epilepsy and had such a bad fit one day he had a heart attack from it and dropped dead. He was only in his 30s. Horrendous.

When I won the office sweepstake on Shahrastani 1986 was the first time I became aware of Walter.  Went to my first flat meeting at Kempton that year and remember how stylish he and Steve Cauthen looked. RIP.

So many great memories of Walter. My personal favourites were Ajdal winning the July Cup not long after running in the Derby. A remarkable drop in trip to go out and win a group 1. Also Ezzoud winning his first International at York as i was on at 40/1.

Shocked. RIP Walter .Shergars memory will last forever.
Walter and Shergar hold pride of place in my office facing me every day an original pencil drawing by Brunyee from 1982.

RIP Walter; leaves many happy memories from the golden era where every racing fan knew all the top jocks well; Starkey, Rouse, Hide, Duffield etc. as well as Lester, Willie, Pat, Steve Cauthen etc. Disgrace that Millington didn't headline the RP with this story; thought it may have broken too late at first but see they give big coverage on inside pages. What will your proper racing journos like Brough Scott and Alastair Down make of that Bruce?

shall never forget the great battle between him and Philip Robinson to be top apprentice. and all of the great years that followed. A very fine jockey and a nice man. RIP Walter

R.I.P. Walter

no doubt there were stronger riders in a finish(although later he become stronger) but tactically the very best rider i can remember, so rarely got stuck in on the rails, nearly every horse he rode  was given every chance of a clear run  and really gave horses too much to do. a standard line in the post race analysis of a swinburn ride was"held up in touch led 2 furlongs out , stayed on well wn by 1 1/2"

I remember him being interviewed after his Derby win on Lammtarra. A superb ride but sadly it was bittersweet for the man as the horse had been trained by Alex Scott who was a friend and was was murdered at his home the previous year.


Sad news of his passing at such an early age.

By James Burn 6:00PM 13 DEC 2016

FRANKIE DETTORI, the man who succeeded Walter Swinburn as Flat racing's most stylish operator, on Tuesday paid a touching tribute to his former colleague, who died at the age of 55 on Monday morning.



Swinburn, who suffered from epilepsy, was one of the finest riders of his generation and his CV is crammed with victories in many of the sport's greatest races.

He won eight British Classics and memorably steered Shergar to his brilliant win in the 1981 Derby when the jockey was just 19.

By the time Dettori entered the weighing room in the late 1980s, Swinburn was established as one of its senior members and he was fondly recalled on Tuesday by his old sparring partner.

Dettori said: "Walter was in my corner. I got changed next to him almost every day and as a young lad growing up he was a jockey I looked up to because he was an unbelievable rider. He was a joy to watch, be around and learn from. It was a sad day when I heard the news. He was only 55 and I'm still in a bit of shock as it's so young."
Swinburn-360

 

Outlining the part Swinburn played in helping shape his successful career, the 45-year-old added: "Absolutely I took things from him, of course. And I was blessed he was in my corner so I watched him like a hawk every day, trying to pick up his best attributes. He definitely played a big part in my career.

"He was a very natural talent and got inside horses's mind to get them to do what he wanted them to do; relax, run for him. He was a great horseman. For me as a young, up-and-coming jockey he was someone I was very lucky to have on my side, so I could try to pick up as much as I could from this great talent.

"When you're with someone - and I was very lucky I had Walter, Ray Cochrane and Pat Eddery to look up to - for six to eight hours a day you pick up things even if you don't actually talk to them or ask; you're like a sponge and try to be like them.

"When I rode the seven winners at Ascot he was with me all day, him and Pat, and he was the one pushing me to win the seventh, saying, 'You can win this'. He was getting me revved up.

"I spent a lot of time with him and shared many journeys with him and he was always fun to be around. We had some great times, on and off the track."

Any time you saw him on TV he never came across as arrogant or having a big ego, unlike some jockey's. Just watched his Arc win on All Along on YouTube, another great ride. It may seem stupid to say, but I hope it was Epilpsy that did him and not the drink. One word to sum him up Talented.

As someone mentioned earlier what a great apprentice he was. It would be nice if they gave the Champion Apprentice The Walter Swinburn Trophy.

lovely idea paddy.

Various articles state he was ' a troubled soul ' ?

Like 99% of the human race Just depends how you deal with it! One thing for sure he was in the 1% for natural talent.

Very sad news indeed. Has a reason been released as of yet ?

I've read that as well Facts , John Francome mentioned something similar.

facts - any clue as to what the 'troubled soul' was about? I have an idea, but if I mentioned it in this forum, I'd probably get castigated for even mentioning it!

I doubt if you would get castigated for it unless something really untoward. It's well known he had an alcohol problem but only close friends and family would know the actual cause of death.

There are rumours and there are rumours. I can't print it but if what I was told about Sandy Barclay I doubt if anyone would believe it. From a good source I may add but only rumours...

It wasn't alcohol I was thinking of, although that may have resulted from him trying to accept who he was.

Reading between the lines I think the cause of death is pretty obvious.

The Telegraph reported it as epilepsy.

By Marcus Armytage,  Racing Correspondent 
12 December 2016 • 8:34pm   
Walter Swinburn, one of the greatest big race jockeys of the modern era and the rider of Shergar, died on Monday. He was 55 and had been suffering from epilepsy.