Kenyon Edward Minton Goode, known universally as Ken, son of Thomas Goode who owned Goode & Co, glass and china merchants, was born on 27th January 1901 in Hampstead, London. He was educated at Harrow followed by Sandhurst, gaining a commission in the Indian Army in 1920 where he represented the Royal Scots, reaching the post of captain. He resigned his commission in 1923, working firstly in Newmarket for Sam Bennett before joining Ben Roberts and Jack Scott at Cheltenham. He rode over jumps, celebrating his first winner in 1925, later partnering Soldier Bill 100/1 in the 1926 Aintree Grand National, Camperdown 200/1 in the 1929 Aintree Grand National, Ibstock 100/1 in 1930 for Lady Helen McCalmont, Harewood 100/1 in 1931 and finally Redlynch 100/1 in the 1932 running of the Grand National. On Tuesday 7th April 1931 he had 3 mounts at Torquay, landing a 74/1 treble in 3 successive races, firstly with The Sheriff, then with Swashbuckler, completing the treble with Ibstock.
In 1930 he purchased the Old Manor House in Upper Lambourn and began converting it into racing stables which were completed by 1931 when he launched his training career. He successfully applied for a National Hunt trainer's licence in February 1935, although he never operated as a Flat trainer. During the Second World War he joined the Grenadier Guards as a Captain in 1939, remaining in the armed forces until December 1940. After the War he resumed his training career at The Old Manor where he remained until 1947.
1931 Babbacombe Selling Handicap Steeplechase at Torquay THE SHERIFF 2/1 fav owned, trained and ridden by Ken Goode
1931 Torre Handicap Hurdle at Torquay SWASHBUCKLER 4/1 owned, trained and ridden by Ken Goode
1931 Torbay & South Devon Handicap Steeplechase IBSTOCK 4/1 owned, trained and ridden by Ken Goode
1947-1955 Major Peter Nelson
Peter Nelson, born in 1913, served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment, reaching the post of Major during his 4-year tenure, but in 1947 he successfully applied for a trainer's licence, basing himself at the Old Manor Stables in Upper Lambourn. At the Old Manor he built the foundations of a successful career as a trainer, but landed few high-profile wins. He won the 1948 Wrotesley Stakes at Wolverhampton with Tetrashah ridden by Cliff Richards, and gained numerous wins with Proud Scot, but at this stage of his career victories at Wolverhmapton, Catterick and Nottingham were more likely than at Ascot, Goodwood and Epsom. In 1955, after the legendary, Classic winning trainer Atty Persse, retired, Nelson took over Kingsdown Stables in Upper Lambourn. Peter was married to Marguerite and they were blessed with 2 sons, John and Charles, who both followed their father into training racehorses. Peter's most famous winner was Snow Knight who unexpectedly landed the 1974 Epsom Derby by 2 lengths at 50/1 in the hands of Brian Taylor. However, Peter was not a one trick pony, for he registered 7 Royal Ascot victories, firstly in the 1951 Bessborough Stakes with Proud Scot 100/6, before winning the 1952 Coventry Stakes with Whistler 2/5 fav, then Weeber 10/1 won the 1955 Queen Mary Stakes; Greek Streak 100/8 won the 1966 Fern Hill Stakes, better known as the Sandringham Stakes; the 1969 King Edward VII Stakes went to Vervain 10/1, Trinity Term 6/4 fav won the 1970 Chesham Stakes, while his final winner came in the 1974 Kings Stand Stakes with Bay Express 9/4 fav . He enjoyed raids at the Glorious Goodwood meeting, landing the 1962 Stewards Cup with Victorina owned by Sir B Mountain, and repeating the success in the same difficult to win race in 1971 with Apollo Nine. Peter retired in early 1976 and handed his licence over to his eldest son John who trained at Kingsdown for a year. Peter collapsed and died in February 1998 aged 85, while his wife Marguerite died on 24th June 2004, both being buried in Upper Lambourn cemetery.
1948 Wrotesley Stakes at Wolverhampton TETRASHAH 6/1 owned by Major F Stanley, trained by Peter Nelson and ridden by Cliff Richards
1948 Catterick Handicap EASTERN SILVER 8/1 trained by Peter Nelson and ridden by G Slack
1950 Kingwood Plate at Wolverhampton PROUD SCOT 5/4 fav trained by Peter Nelson and ridden by Edgar Britt
1950 Gloucester Stakes at Chepstow PROUD SCOT 1/2 fav trained by Peter Nelson and ridden by Cliff Richards
1951 Saville Plate at Nottingham BLACK BRIAR 7/2 trained by Peter Nelson and ridden by C F Hughesdon
1957-1971 Lieutenant Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey
Peter Payne-Gallwey, born on 27th July 1906, served in the Royal Horse Artillery and Derbyshire Yeomanry during the Second World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, serving in Tunisia and later training many winners in Egypt. Prior to the outbreak of War he was one of the leading amateur riders of the day, winning the 1933 Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown on Backsight. His riding career came to abrupt halt after a bad fall in a steeplechase race. Peter trained in Wimborne, Dorset until October 1956 when he transferred to Lambourn, and by 1957 Peter took over the Old Manor which had 22 boxes from which he continued to train, although in 1970 he divided the yard into two, with the second yard of 8 boxes being run independently of the main yard consisting of 14 boxes. His most famous horse was Sky Diver which won the highly competitive Stewards Cup Handicap at Glorious Goodwood in consecutive years in 1967 and 1968. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1965 and, although he continued to train, the disease got progressively worse, and he died on Sunday 21st November 1971 leaving a widow and daughter.
1933 Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown BACKSIGHT 6/1 owned by Mr Daniell, trained by Alf Stedall and ridden by Mr Peter Payne-Gallwey
1967 Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood SKY DIVER 20/1 owned by J Fare, trained by Lt-Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey and ridden by Des Cullen
1968 Stewards Cup at Glorious Goodwood SKY DIVER 100/6 owned by J Fare, trained by Lt-Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey and ridden by Sturrock
1971-1988 Nick Vigors
Nick Vigors, born in 1947, joined Geoffrey Brooke in 1965 as his assistant aged just 18. He remained with Brooke until 1967, then transferred to Jeremy Tree between 1967 and 1969. He began training in his own right in Hailsham, Sussex, in 1969 aged just 22, making him one of the youngest trainers in the country. In November 1970 he transferred his 16-strong team to The Old Manor Stables in Lambourn, and in early 1971 owner Peter Payne-Gallwey split the stable, which effectively allowed them to share the stables. He then took over completely after the death of Lt-Colonel Peter Payne-Gallwey in November 1971. His best horses during his 18 years at the Old Manor Stables were Swinging Rebel, owned by Mrs V Duey, Manton Dan, winner of the Hong Kong Marlboro Handicap at York, Blaskette and All Friends. However, Nick wondered what might have been had a Stewards Enquiry gone in his favour. In the 1986 Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown, Kesslin passed the post first, a clear length and a half to the good, but there was an objection for bumping, and in the subsequent enquiry Kesslin was disqualified. Most observers agreed that bumping had taken place, but that Kesslin was the better horse on the day. A month later Kesslin 12/1 contested the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival but was unplaced behind Champion See You Then. At the end of the 1988 season Nick decided to hand back his trainers licence, stating that training was no longer financially viable. In that final season he trained 33 horses which won 15 races, netting total win prize money of £70,000. He joined a long list of trainers that year who had found the going tough, including Ron Sheather, John Winter, Ray Laing, Patrick Haslam, Frank Carr and Mercy Rimell.
1976 Pyecombe Stakes at Brighton BLASKETTE 8/13 fav trained by Nick Vigors and ridden by Paul Cook
1986 Teal & Green Handicap Hurdle at Ascot KESSLIN 9/4 fav trained by Nick Vigors and ridden by John White
1986 Wykeham Handicap at York MANTON DAN 6/1 trained by Nick Vigors and ridden by Paul Cook
1986 Hong Kong Marlboro Handicap Cup at York MANTON DAN 6/1 trained by Nick Vigors and ridden by Paul Cook
Kim Bailey, born circa 1953, was educated at Radley College, and could be classed as a trend setter given that Oliver Sherwood and Jamie Snowden at one time attended Radley and became trainers in Lambourn, while Charlie Fellowes attended Radley but now trains in Newmarket. After completing his compulsory education he learnt the art of training from Captain Tim Forster and Fred Rimell, two master trainers of National Hunt horses. Kim trained at The Old Manor, Lambourn from 1989, winning the Grand National with Mr Frisk in 1990, in only his second year in Lambourn. Whilst Cheltenham Festival winners are highly prized by trainers, most National Hunt trainers would list the big three jumps races as the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Grand National. Kim Bailey had ticked all 3 on his CV by 1995 when Alderbrook won the Champion Hurdle and Master Oates won the Gold Cup. By then Kim was so successful that he took on a second yard at Berkeley House between 1993 and 1999, and remained in Lambourn just before the start of the new millennium. He sold his Lambourn stables and moved to Northamptonshire, where he invested in a farm which was sufficiently large for him to install his own all-weather gallop, but a period of adverse weather, and a limited number of winners challenged Bailey's ability to make his business viable. In September 2006 he transferred to Thorndale Farm in the Cotswolds, leasing over 1000 acres from the Vestey Family, and began to chalk up winners again, registering more than 1425 winners in his training career to date.
1989 Anthony Mildmay & Peter Cazalet Memorial Chase at Sandown MR FRISK 3/1 owned by Mrs Harry J Duffey, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
1990 Aintree Grand National MR FRISK 16/1 owned by Mrs Harry J Duffey, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Marcus Armytage
1990 Whitbread Gold Cup at Sandown MR FRISK 9/2 fav owned by Mrs Harry J Duffey, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Marcus Armytage
1994 Greenalls Gold Cup at Kempton MASTER OATES 11/4 fav owned by Paul A Matthews, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1994 Rehearsal Chase at Chepstow MASTER OATES 3/1 owned by Paul A Matthews, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1994 Welsh Grand National at Newbury MASTER OATES 5/2 jt fav owned by Paul A Matthews, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1995 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton ALDERBROOK 11/4 owned by Ernie Pick, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1995 Pillar Property Chase at Cheltenham MASTER OATES 6/4 fav owned by Paul A Matthews, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1995 Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival ALDERBROOK 11/2 owned by Ernie Pick, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1995 Cheltenham Gold Cup MASTER OATES 100/30 owned by Paul A Matthews, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Norman Williamson
1996 Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr ALDERBROOK 8/11 fav owned by Ernie Pick, trained by Kim Bailey and ridden by Richard Dunwoody
December 2002-present Mikael Magnusson
Swedish entrepreneur Mikael Magnusson made his money running his 1,000-employee worldwide business that manufactured orthopaedic mattresses and pillows, but he was also devoted to the world of horse racing. Having initially trained in his native Sweden, near Stockholm for 10 years between 1979 and 1989, in December 2002 he purchased The Old Manor and began training in England. His first winner was Made in Japan in December 2002 at Lingfield. His best horse in his first few years at the Old Manor was Mutawaqed who landed the 2003 Bet Direct Handicap at Lingfield, the Tote Scoop 6 Northern Sprint at Newcastle, and a bumper payday in 2004 when winning the Skybet Dash Heritage Handicap at York when ridden by Ryan Moore. in 2013 Magnusson was reported to have retired from training, although he maintained ownership of the Old Manor stables.
2003 Bet Direct Handicap at Lingfield MUTAWAQED 7/2 owned by East Wind Racing Ltd, trained by Mikael Magnusson and ridden by Gary Carter
2003 Tote Scoop 6 Northern Sprint at Newcastle MUTAWAQED 11/2 owned by East Wind Racing Ltd, trained by Mikael Magnusson and ridden by Eddie Ahern
2004 Skybet Dash Heritage Handicap at York MUTAWAQED 13/2 owned by East Wind Racing Ltd, trained by Mikael Magnusson and ridden by Ryan Moore
January 2015-present Brian O'Rourke
Brian O'Rourke, born in Tyrone, Northern Ireland, was always going to spend his life with horses in one way or another. Aged 19 he travelled to Australia seeking work on ranches and stud farms, remaining there for 4 years before moving to America. There he gained experience working for trainer Claude Mcaughey where he was appointed assistant trainer. After 10 years in the States he relocated to Highclere Stud, Berkshire, spending 9 years at the famous Stud. In January 2015 he opened a new chapter in his career at The Old Manor Stables, Lambourn, launching Brian O'Rourke Bloodstock Ltd, and then began training.
2021 Cazoo Nursery Handicap at Yarmouth BANSHEE 6/4 owned by B E Nielsen, trained by Brian O'Rourke and ridden by Ray Dawson
2021 Racing TV Handicap at Redcar MAGNIFICENCE 125/1 owned by SBA Racing Ltd, trained by Brian O'Rourke and ridden by Kieran Shoemark
When partner Paul Blockley was banned from training Jo Hughes took over the licence, and the pair later moved to France where Jo trained; sadly Paul died in France in January 2020. In 2016 she saddled Lefortovo to win back-to-back races at Granville-St Pair Sur Mer and Compeigne, but in late 2021 she returned to England. She began training at Hill House Stables in 2021, increasing her total winners to 43. She remained as resident at Hill House, but took the opportunity to expand her training facilities by teaming up with trainer Mikael Magnusson, sharing his 50-box stable at the Old Manor.
2016 Prix Pozzo Immobilier at Granville-St Pair Sur Mer LEFORTOVO owned by L Ormsby, H Downs, R Bedford and Jo Hughes, trained by Jo Hughes and ridden by Emmanuel Etienne
2016 Prix d'Eulalie at Compeigne LEFORTOVO 83/10 owned by L Ormsby, H Downs, R Bedford and Jo Hughes, trained by Jo Hughes and ridden by Mickael Barzalona
ALDERBROOK (1995 Champion Hurdle, 1996 Scottish Champion Hurdle)
MASTER OATES (1995 Gold Cup, 1994 Welsh Grand National, Greenalls Gold Cup)
MR FRISK (1990 Aintree Grand National, Whitbread Gold Cup)
SKY DIVER (1967, 1968 Stewards Cup)
MANTON DAN (1986 Hong Kong Marlboro Handicap Cup)
