1851 William Thompson
William Thompson trained 3 horses in Middleham at Castle Stables, in the West End area of the town. The 3 were a sister to Fencer, a 4-year-old bay filly by Arundel, and a bay colt by Annandale, but all 3 enjoyed limited success.
1952-1955 Richard Dick Colven
Richard Colven, universally known as Dick, was born on 8th September 1901 in Bethnall Green, London but moved to Australia with his family when they emigrated there. He served his apprenticeship in Australia and was still there in 1923 when he got married, and the couple later adopted a boy in 1931 who they named Albert Gordon Colven. Dick rode in Australia for a short time, and also in both Egypt and Singapore, but by 1930 the couple were back in England. He continued his riding career in England from 1930 through to 1946, the highlight of which was partnering Lady Electra to win the 1943 War time Lincoln Handicap, which was staged at Pontefract, by a comfortable 2 lengths from Coroado Grey and Tony when owned by W Richardson and trained by C Ray. He applied for a trainer's licence in 1948, moving to live at West Witton, on the outskirts of Middleham, and using Glasgow House as his stables and Ernest Girling as his head lad. Starting in 1948 with a string of just 6, but a year later he had increased it to 15. His first winner, Pilpay 10/1, was in the Londesborough Selling Handicap at Doncaster on 7th May 1948 when partnered by his adopted son Gordon. In 1949 he trained his best horse Barnes Park for H Lane, contesting all 3 Classics. In the 2000 Guineas he was third beaten a short head and 4 lengths by Nimbus (SR 2012), and went to the Derby at Epsom with some confidence, but was 5th behind the brilliant Nimbus. In the St Leger he was offered at 40/1 and finished 5th behind Ridge Wood (SR 1923). Richard bought over a friend of his from Australia, jockey Athol Mulley, and Athol partnered Barnes Park to a hollow 6 length victory in the Three Tuns 3-y-o Plate at Thirsk, but did not partner the horse in the St Leger. Dick spent two further years at Glasgow House, training 19 in 1950 and 12 in 1951.
1948 Londesborough Selling Handicap at Doncaster PILPAY 10/1 owned by Mr Poole, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Gordon Colven
1949 2000 Guineas at Newmarket BARNES PARK 100/1 owned by H Lane, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Ken Gethin was 3rd behind Nimbus (SR 2012)
1949 Epsom Derby BARNES PARK 22/1 owned by H Lane, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by W Cook was 5th behind Nimbus (SR 2012)
1949 Three Tuns 3-y-o Plate at Thirsk BARNES PARK 1/9 fav owned by H Lane, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Athol Mulley
1949 St Leger at Doncaster BARNES PARK 40/1 owned by H Lane, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by W Cook was 5th behind Ridge Wood (SR 1923)
1950 Smethwick Handicap Chase at Birmingham LOCKERBIE 13/2 trained by Dick Colven and ridden by M Hogan
1950 Hornby Castle handicap at Catterick BRISTERS BUTTONS 9/2 owned by B Braithwaite, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Gordon Colven
1950 Crosshands Hurdle at Ayr BRISTERS BUTTONS 11/2 owned by B B Johnson, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by J Stevens
1951 Ingham Hurdle at Southwell FAIR RUN 9/4 fav trained by Dick Colven and ridden by J Stevens
1951 Southwell Hurdle TRAVELLER 11/10 fav trained by Dick Colven and ridden by R Curran
1953 Doncaster Handicap GAZELLE 11/10 trained by Dick Colven and ridden by W H Carr
1953 Arnold Plate at Nottingham TWO FIFTY 10/11 fav trained by Dick Colven and ridden by W H Carr
1954 Leicester Handicap TWO FIFTY 100/6 trained by Dick Colven and ridden by A V McCullagh
1954 Bishopsgate Handicap at Stockton COCKRULLAH 7/4 owned by A C Cockburn, trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Jimmy Etherington
1955 Lancashire Plate at Aintree SANDY BANK 100/8 trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Peter Robinson
1955 Flying Dutchman Handicap at York CECIL'S CHOICE 7/1 trained by Dick Colven and ridden by Doug Smith
1958-1961 William Wilson Haigh
William Wilson Haigh, born on 20th July 1931, was an apprentice with Charles Elsey at Highfield Stables, in Malton between 1947 and 1951, although he was then called up for his compulsory National Service where he served in the Durham Light Infantry in Korea from 1952 to 1954. On his return to England he continued to ride professionally as a jump jockey in the 1954 to 1955 jump season, riding his first winner, Golden Salamander 15/8 fav, at Catterick on 6th November 1954 in the Streetlam Novices Hurdle. In addition to riding, Bill successfully applied for a trainer's licence in readiness for the 1956-57 season, taking up residence at Clifton Hall, Penrith, coincidentally sending out Golden Salamander as his first training success at Haydock on 28th November 1956 in the Lowton Selling Hurdle. He continued to train in Penrith until 1958 and even notched up a double at Wetherby on 10th June 1957, winning with Shilling Shocker and Merry Windsor, the latter partnered by Gordon W Richards. At the end of the Flat season Bill transferred his string to Leyburn House, where he resided, while his horses were stabled at neighbouring Castle Stables. In his first season at Leyburn House his string numbered 13, and it increased to 17 in his second season before drastically reducing to 5 in 1960 and 6 in 1961. He recorded his highest profile win in the 1958 Metropolitan Hurdle at Sandown with J Wilkinson's Norcrest 25/1, trained and ridden by Bill. At the end of 1961 he moved to East Appleton for 2 years before he handed back his trainers licence and became travelling head lad to Peter Chisman at Temple Grafton Court Stables, Alcester. Peter later trained in Middleham.
1954 Streetlam Novices Hurdle at Catterick GOLDEN SALAMANDER 15/8 fav owned by T Graham, trained by Tommy Robson and ridden by Bill Haigh
1956 Lowton Selling Handicap Hurdle at Haydock GOLDEN SALAMANDER 3/1 fav owned by T Graham, trained and ridden by Bill Haigh
1957 Godfrey Long Handicap Chase at Wetherby MERRY WINDSOR 5/4 fav trained by Bill Haigh and ridden by Gordon W Richards
1957 Selling Hurdle at Wetherby SHILLING SHOCKER 5/1 trained and ridden by Bill Haigh
1957 Market Rasen Hurdle GILTHWAITE 11/2 trained and ridden by Bill Haigh
1958 Birchfield Novices Hurdle at Haydock GILTHWAITE 100/9 trained and ridden by Bill Haigh
1958 Metropolitan Hurdle at Sandown NORCREST 25/1 owned by J Wilkinson, trained and ridden by Bill Haigh
William Murray, better known as Bill, was born in Tipperary in 1923 and was head lad with Sam Hall for some years before deciding to launch out on his own in 1968. He lived in Leyburn House and used the neighbouring Castle Stables to house his small string. He began in 1968 with 9 horses and struggled to finds winners in his first season, although he had numerous seconds. However, in his second season, and despite reducing his string to 8, he managed to win 10 races before the half-way mark of the season. But it is was in 1970 that he really made his mark, doubling his string to 16 and landing the Chester Cup with Altogether at 33/1 with his very first runner at Chester. The horse was owned by 3 publicans, Robert Blackburn, John Kenna and Alf Anderson, and a scrap metal dealer, Bill Bolton, whose colours he ran in. It was the first Middleham winner of the Chester Cup for 38 years, the previous one being Bonny Brighteyes in 1932. Also, in 1970 he legged up a smart young apprentice named Pat Eddery on Benoma in the Old Boston Apprentice Handicap Stakes at Haydock, and the combination duly obliged at 5/4 fav. Although he was based at Leyburn House, Bill made frequent visits back to his former home in Kirklinton. He married Sybil, and his wife owned a number of horses trained by Bill, the best of which was Tracey Anne, named after the daughter of a good friend. In 1972 Tracey Anne won the historic Hambleton Cup at Thirsk when ridden by Clive Eccleston. Bill's numbers continued to fluctuate, 14 in 1972, 16 in 1973, but down to 8 in his final season, 1976. He then returned to Kirklinton and lived for another 20 years.
1968 Ochiltree Handicap Hurdle at Ayr MONARCHS MATCH 100/9, owned and trained by Bill Murray and ridden by Terry Pinner
1970 Chester Cup ALTOGETHER 33/1 owned by Robert Blackburn, John Kenna, Alf Anderson and Bill Bolton, trained by Bill Murray and ridden by Walter Bentley
1970 Old Boston Apprentice Handicap Stakes at Haydock BENOMA 5/4 fav trained by Bill Murray and ridden by Pat Eddery
1972 Hambleton Cup at Thirsk TRACEY ANNE 5/2 owned by Mrs Sybil Murray, trained by Bill Murray and ridden by Clive Eccleston
Patrick Haslam was born on 10th January 1948 and assisted Alec Kerr, George Todd and Gordon Smyth before taking out his first trainer's licence in 1971. He began training at Lynchets in Lambourn, training on both the Flat and National Hunt racing. Indeed, one of his two main claims to fame was that he trained a winner at every racecourse, although Ffos Las and Chelmsford City opened after he had retired. He transferred to Neardown Stables in 1977 where he remained for a year. He left Lambourn in 1979 to take over at Pegasus Stables, replacing Michael Jarvis. He won the 1981 Singleton Handicap with Pencil Point and the Bunbury Cup in consecutive years in 1983 and 1984 with Mummy's Pleasure, and the 1983 Richmond Stakes with Godstone. In 1984 he achieved a Royal Ascot success in the Royal Hunt Cup with Hawkley. At the end of the 1988 season he handed back his licence and took a sabbatical from training, but 2 years later he purchased Warwick House stables from Neville Crump who had retired, moving to Middleham in North Yorkshire in February 1991. Thus, he achieved the second of his claims to fame, which is that he trained in all 3 principal training areas in the country, Lambourn, Newmarket and Middleham. Arriving in Middleham, he was impressed by the gallops, the attractive town and the spectacularly beautiful Wensleydale countryside, with 9 flat racecourses within an hour's drive of Warwick House. He began 1991 with a string of 30 horses, but rapidly expanded to 40 in 1992 and 44 in 1993, although it was reduced to 38 in his final year at the historic stables. His best horse during his time at Warwick House was Pipe Major who won the Soham House Stakes at Newmarket in 1994. In 1994 he sold Warwick House to Mark Johnston, who needed to expand across the road from Kingsley House, and Patrick moved to Castle Stables where, in his first year, he trained 32 horses. His numbers remained steady throughout his 6 years at Castle stables, although they had increased to 42 in 2000 and he thought the time was right to take on larger premise. During his 6 years at Castle Stables he enjoyed further success with Pipe Major in the Group 3 Van Geest Criterion Stakes at Newmarket, but the stable star was undoubtedly Nigel's Lad who won an incredible 23 races on the Flat, over hurdles and jumps. Patrick was very good at placing his horses; Nigel's Lad won 4 consecutive races and, on another occasion, won 3 in a row. He won the 1998 Crowther Homes Long Distance Hurdle at Haydock and shortly afterwards the Christopher Saul Memorial Handicap on the flat at Ripon. In 2000 Patrick purchased the historic Manor House stables, just across the road from Castle stables, and revelled in the history associated with the 1945 Derby winner Dante. By 2001 his string had increased to 54, increasing in each of the next 3 years when it was reported in Horses in Training that he trained 95 horses. At the end of the 2009 season he decided to retire and hand over the licence to son Ben who had assisted him for some time. Around this time Manor House Stables, which was very large, was divided between Sunsque Stables including the Dante Yard, and Castle Hill Stables a few hundred metres away. Ben Haslam took over Castle Hill Stables, while Sunsque Cottage, which had been occupied by James Bethell prior to Haslam buying it, was taken over by Jason Ward in 2011. Patrick Haslam trained 988 winners in the UK, 778 on the Flat and 210 over jumps, his final winner being Bateau Bleu at Nottingham on 30th September 2009, but sadly died on 14th October 2017 after a long illness.
1995 Snowden Marquees Handicap at Newmarket NIGEL'S LAD 11/1 owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Baird
1997 Bradley House Hurdle at Newcastle NIGEL'S LAD 2/5 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Foster
1997 Pardubice Novice Hurdle at Doncaster NIGEL'S LAD 2/5 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Foster
1997 Aughton Hurdle at Aintree NIGEL'S LAD 8/15 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Foster
1997 Ripon Farm Services Handicap NIGEL'S LAD 5/2 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Royston Ffrench
1997 Pickhill Handicap at Catterick NIGEL'S LAD 1/3 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Jimmy Fortune
1997 Tony Bethell Memorial Handicap at Pontefract NIGEL'S LAD 4/5 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Jimmy Fortune
1997 Gas Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh NIGEL'S LAD 10/11 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Foster
1998 Booth Development Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen NIGEL'S LAD 3/1 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by M Foster
1998 DHL Worldwide Express Handicap Hurdle at Uttoxeter NIGEL'S LAD 9/4 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Tony McCoy
1998 Crowther Homes Long Distance Hurdle at Haydock NIGEL'S LAD 4/1 owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Andrew Thornton
1998 Christopher Saul Memorial Handicap at Ripon NIGEL'S LAD 7/4 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Jason Weaver
1998 Sun Chemical Scottish Handicap at Hamilton NIGEL'S LAD 3/1 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Jason Weaver
1999 Tony Bethell Memorial Handicap at Pontefract NIGEL'S LAD 7/2 owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Kevin Darley
1999 Harrison Novices Chase at Carlisle NIGEL'S LAD 4/1 owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Lorcan Wyer
2000 Border Minstrel Chase at Newcastle NIGEL'S LAD 4/6 fav owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Lorcan Wyer
2000 Racing Channel Handicap Chase at Wetherby NIGEL'S LAD 2/1 owned by N C Dunnington, trained by Patrick Haslam and ridden by Lorcan Wyer
March 2001- 2009 Kate Milligan
Kate Milligan, born in Scotland in 1960 into a family of 5 children, 3 boys and 2 girls, travelled to Middleham to work for Neville Crump at Warwick House. She loved working with horses and rode as an amateur under both codes, although she was better known as a successful event rider, qualifying for the British Novice Championship Finals. In 1989 she began training as a permit-holder, basing herself on Kirkgate, sending out her first winner, Scandalous Rumour at Musselburgh in the Harperrig Novices Hurdle on 23rd January 1989 and she achieved two more winners before deciding to join Mick Hammond, who was then based at Tupgill. She was assistant to Micky Hammond for 4 years, but in the 1995-1996 season she successfully applied for a public trainers licence and began training from Brough Farm with 14 horses, spending a further year at Brough Farm before transferring her string of 15 to Fell View Stables in Eat Witton. She spent 5 happy, successful years at Fell View, but in 2001 she departed for Castle Stables, in the centre of Middleham, with a clear view of the ancient Castle. She began with 16 horses in 2002, and consistently trained the same number for a couple of years, but in 2004 numbers dwindled to 8, and for the next 5 years she trained between 8 and 10 horses each year. She won numerous races with Magic Box, Middleway and Tender Touch during her spell at Castle Stables, and also guided two amateur riders, Miss T Jackson and Michael McAlister, to success in Amateur Riders Handicap Chases in 2003 at Hexham and Musselburgh. However, the highlight of her time at the stables was the performance of Dark Ben, owned by James-Douglas Gordon, which was second in the 2006 John Smiths Durham National at Sedgefield, beaten less than 3 lengths by Devil's Run. When her multiple sclerosis began to have a considerable impact on her mobility, she decided to quit the training ranks and encouraged Simon West to take over at Castle Stables. She supported both the Castle Stables yard and Manor House yard for the next decade, despite increasing health problems, but Kate sadly died on 11th March 2020 aged just 60.
2002 Hands & Heels Conditional Jockey Handicap Hurdle at Market Rasen LORD PAT 3/1 owned by The LP Club, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Gary Berridge
2002 Summer Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield MAGIC BOX 12/1 owned by R A W Racing, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by R Forristal
2003 Benjamin White Apprentice Novices Handicap Chase at Southwell TENDER TOUCH 9/2 owned by James-Douglas Gordon, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Richard Johnson
2003 Duke of Northumberland Amateur Riders Handicap Chase at Hexham MR LAGGAN 6/1 owned by Mrs J M Milligan, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Michael McAlister
2003 Gullane Amateur Riders Handicap Chase at Musselburgh MR LAGGAN 9/2 owned by Mrs J M Milligan, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Miss T Jackson
2004 John Wade Skip Hire Handicap Hurdle at Sedgefield MAGIC BOX 16/1 owned by R A W Racing, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Dougie Costello
2004 Nova International Handicap Chase at Hexham MIDDLEWAY 9/1 owned by Miss Georgina Armstrong, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Barry Keniry
2004 Innerwick Handicap Hurdle at Musselburgh MIDDLEWAY 25/1 owned by Miss Georgina Armstrong, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Barry Keniry
2005 Ingrid Flute National Hunt Novices Hurdle at Sedgefield DARK BEN 15/2 owned by James-Douglas Gordon, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Peter Beaumont
2006 Tote exacta Handicap Chase at Sedgefield MIDDLEWAY 17/2 owned by Miss Georgina Armstrong, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Michael McAlister
2006 Totesport Beginners Chase at Kelso DARK BEN 3/1 owned by James-Douglas Gordon, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Dougie Costello
2006 John Smiths Durham National at Sedgefield DARK BEN 9/1 owned by James-Douglas Gordon, trained by Kate Milligan and ridden by Dougie Costello, runner-up to Devils Run
Simon G West prepared himself well for the job which he loves doing, training racehorses, for he spent his school holidays working at the stables of Roddy Armytage when Roddy was based at Brough Farm stables, and as soon as he completed his compulsory education he joined Alan Harrison and afterwards, George Moore at Warwick Lodge stables in Middleham.
2009 Book Online Maiden Chase at Catterick HIGH BIRD HUMPHREY 3/1 owned by P G Forster, trained by Simon West and ridden by Michael Naughton
2009 Fairfax Arms Gilling Handicap at Thirsk SPIDERS STAR 12/1 owned by Kate Milligan, trained by Simon West and ridden by Paul Pickard
2009 Etherington Handicap Stakes at Beverley SPIDERS STAR 5/4 fav owned by Kate Milligan, trained by Simon West and ridden by Paul Pickard
2009 Swale Handicap at Catterick SPIDERS STAR 6/4 fav owned by Kate Milligan, trained by Simon West and ridden by Paul Pickard
2011 Lucky in Love Night Handicap at Beverley SPIDERS STAR 8/1 owned by Kate Milligan, trained by Simon West and ridden by Michael O’Connell
2014 Countryside Day Novices Hurdle at Carlisle MAXIMISER 10/1 owned by James Douglas-Gordon, trained by Simon West and ridden by Joe Colliver
2014 Wingate Signs Fixed Brush Hurdle at Haydock MAXIMISER 15/8 owned by James Douglas-Gordon, trained by Simon West and ridden by Joe Colliver
2020 Jumpforjoy on Racing TV Maiden Hurdle at Musselburgh DORA DE JANEIRO 4/1 owned by Paul Hothersall, trained by Simon West and ridden by John Kington
2021 Northern Lights Stayers Hurdle Qualifier at Musselburgh DORA DE JANEIRO 16/5 owned by Paul Hothersall, trained by Simon West and ridden by John Kington
2022 Go North Brindisi Qualifier at Sedgefield BOBBIE THE DAZZLER 28/1 owned by Paul Bryan, trained by Simon West and ridden by John Kington
2023 Guinness Perfect Pour Novices Handicap Hurdle at Newcastle FABULEUX DU CLOS owned by Paul Hothersall, trained by Simon West and ridden by Conor O'Farrell
PIPE MAJOR (1995 Criterion Stakes Group 3)
ALTOGETHER (1970 Chester Cup)
TRACEY ANNE (1972 Hambleton Cup)
NIGEL'S LAD (1999 Tony Bethell Memorial)
DARK BEN (2006 Durham National runner-up)
