Sir Henry Cecil | Horse Racing Free Tips

Panelists have selected three finalists for the 14th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which will honor titles published in 2019. The three books include “Better Lucky Than Good: Tall Tales and Straight Talk from the Backside of the Track,” by various authors, from Louisville Story Program, edited by Joe Manning; “Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory,” by Lenny Shulman; and “The Triumph of Henry Cecil: The Authorised Biography,” by Tony Rushmer.

A total of 15 submissions were made this year before being narrowed down to the top three with regard to the late Dr. Ryan’s likely preferences. The businessman established the award in 2006 to recognize the best books published about racing, culminating with an awards ceremony and a $10,000 prize.

The announcement of finalists would normally have concluded with an awards ceremony this past April at the Ryan family’s Castleton Lyons near Lexington, but circumstances surrounding COVID-19 altered the timeline. Although a ceremony to celebrate the winner is currently undetermined, it will likely take place in November, whether or not it is able to be done in person.

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The tributes continued Wednesday for prominent owner Noel Martin, who passed away one day earlier at the age of 60. Martin was perhaps best known in racing circles as the owner of Jacqueline Quest (Ire) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), named after his late wife following her death in 2000.

Trained by Sir Henry Cecil, Jacqueline Quest passed the post in front in the 2010 G1 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, only to be demoted to second place for causing interference to eventual winner Special Duty.
Shortly following the demotion, Martin commented: “They took the race away from me. She is still Jacqueline Quest and they cannot take that away from me. I have not seen a race taken away in British horseracing since God knows when, but I have been through a lot of bad luck so it is not a problem.”

Born in Jamaica and raised in Birmingham, Martin was left paralyzed following a neo-Nazi attack in Germany in 1996. During his lifetime, Martin, who was very involved with causes against racial intolerance, returned to Germany in 2001 to lead an anti-racist demonstration.

Having enjoyed better luck for Martin four years prior to his Group 1 disqualification, trainer Mick Channon saddled Baddam (GB) (Mujahid) to win both the Ascot S. and Queen Alexandra S. in the space of five days at Royal Ascot in 2008.

“We had that brilliant week together at Royal Ascot–I don’t think Noel could believe it, to be honest,” Channon said. “We had a couple of great nights in the car park with all his friends, it was brilliant.”
Both Jacqueline Quest and Baddam went on to be trained by Ian Williams.

“We had some great times together,” Williams recalled. “Noel was a good friend and someone whose company I enjoyed immensely. I always admired and respected the way he took the defeat in the Guineas-that was a mark of the gentleman he was.”

Williams added, “Despite the unfortunate position he was in, Noel always had a smile on his face. Every time you thought you were having a bad day, you only had to think of Noel and how happy he was just to be alive. I’ll miss him greatly.”

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