Jockey great Geoff Lewis, the only Welshman to ride a Derby winner, has died aged 89.
Lewis earned his place as one of Wales’ sporting greats when he rode Mill Reef to victory at Epsom in 1971.
Born in Talgarth, near Brecon, Lewis was a leading jockey on the flat throughout the 1960s and 70s, winning five Classics as well as the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in 1971, also on Mill Reef.
He retired as a jockey in 1979 before turning to training and achieving more success with almost 500 winners.
Winning the Derby in 1971 was the crowning moment in one of the finest seasons ever seen in the saddle.
With Mill Reef he captured the Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris – victories that remain etched in the sport’s history.
He also claimed the Oaks, the Coronation Cup, the Ascot Gold Cup and the Lockinge, making him virtually unbeatable that year.
Although his family moved to London when he was a boy, Lewis’ roots in Wales were never forgotten.
His journey into racing began at the Waldorf Hotel, where he worked as a page boy before jump jockey Tim Molony spotted his build and suggested he try racing.
Apprenticed to Ron Smyth at Epsom, he quickly rose through the ranks, riding his first winner in 1953.
By 1957 he was first jockey at Kingsclere, enjoying big-race victories for Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II.
But it was Mill Reef who defined him, the little colt who carried a Welshman to racing immortality.
Lewis went on to partner 1,880 winners in Britain, twice finishing runner-up in the jockeys’ championship and winning five Classics.
After retiring as a jockey, Lewis turned his hand to training and found success once more.
Based in Epsom, his stable included champion sprinter Lake Coniston, who stormed to glory in the 1995 July Cup.
In November 2024, Lewis’ lifelong contribution to Welsh sport was celebrated when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Welsh Horse Racing Awards in Cardiff.
Too ill to attend in person, his daughter Mary and grandchildren Luci and Alex collected the award on his behalf.
The award was a fitting reminder of his place in Welsh sporting history.
