Lord Grimthorpe to step down as Juddmonte racing manager

LORD (‘Teddy’) Grimthorpe has decided to stand down, after 22 years as Juddmonte’s racing manager.

As racing manager for Juddmonte’s late owner, Prince Khalid Abdullah, he managed all Juddmonte’s European horses in training and played a leading role in Juddmonte’s consistent and sustained success worldwide. He will leave Juddmonte after this year’s Royal Ascot meeting.

Taking over the racing manager’s role in 1999 he has, during his tenure, worked with 24 European trainers looking after over 3,000 horses in training, of which 1,400 won over 2,400 races including very nearly 100 Group 1 wins.

The list of famous horses with which he was involved includes such names as Enable, Frankel, Banks Hill, Rail Link, Special Duty, Workforce, Twice Over, Midday, Oasis Dream and Kingman.

He is currently deputy senior steward of the Jockey Club and, having been chairman of York Racecourse for nine years, remains on the York Racecourse Board.

Grimthorpe said: “I have always felt that the time for me to stand down from Juddmonte would be when Prince Khalid was no longer involved.

“It has been a huge privilege to work for the Prince and his family, and with the outstanding Juddmonte team, which has been so successful for so long.

“Of course I am sad to leave, but, with the Prince’s death two months ago and over 20 years as his racing manager, now is the right time. I leave an organisation in great shape which is supreme at what it does, and I have no doubt Juddmonte will continue to thrive and produce top-class homebred thoroughbred horses competing at the highest level on racecourses across the world.”

Douglas Erskine Crum, chief executive of Juddmonte, said: “On behalf of Prince Khalid’s family and all of us past and present at Juddmonte, I thank Teddy for all he has done to help the organisation be at the very top of its game year after year. He will be sorely missed and we wish him the very best of good fortune for the future.”