Walter Swinburn Passes Away Walter Swinburn, one of the most renowned jockeys of his generation and rider of the brilliant Shergar, has died, aged 55. Nicknamed the 'Choirboy', Swinburn partnered Shergar to glory in the 1981 Derby at the age of 19, one of three winners for him in the Epsom Classic alongside Shahrastani (1986) and Lammtarra (1995). Many other big-race successes around the world adorned his CV before his retirement in 2000. Swinburn took over the training licence from his father-in-law Peter Harris in November 2004, sending out over 260 winners from his Hertfordshire base before handing in his licence at the end of October 2011, citing financial reasons. Harris confirmed the shock news to Press Association Sport. He said: "I've been in Scotland all day and got home this evening and all I know is that he has died. I don't know any more details at the moment." The cause of death was not released on Monday evening. Newmarket-based James Fanshawe was assistant to Shergar's trainer Sir Michael Stoute when Swinburn was the stable's number one rider, and described him as a "brilliant jockey". "Walter and I were at Sir Michael Stoute's together and he was a brilliant jockey," said Fanshawe, now a successful trainer in his own right. "Obviously he won the Derby in 1981 at the age of 19 and won the Derby two more times, but he had the most sympathetic pair of hands as a rider. He was a real horseman and was good on the most difficult of horses. "We worked there together for seven years." The top-class miler Zilzal was another major Swinburn winner, with their successes including the Sussex Stakes and Queen Elizabeth II Stakes. Fanshawe said: "Not many people could have ridden Zilzal. He was a brilliant horse, but had a fiery nature. Walter was brilliant on those sort of horses. His big-race record would stand comparison to anyone." Swinburn won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on the filly All Along in 1983 for Patrick Biancone, while the Breeders' Cup Turf came his way with the Stoute-trained Pilsudksi in 1996. He landed the 1000 Guineas with Musical Bliss (1989), Hatoof (1992) and the majestic Sayyedati in 1993, with his 2000 Guineas success coming through Doyoun (1988). Shergar went on to claim the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot in his Derby year and Swinburn twice tasted victory in the Irish Derby, courtesy of Shareef Dancer in 1983 and Shahrastani in 1986. He was educated in Co. Tipperary at Rockwell College. Here is footage of his most famous victory aboard Shergar SHERGAR 1981 DERBY EPSOM HORSE RACING https://t.co/GaA4I1NzAB via @YouTube— irishracing.com (@irishracing) December 12, 2016 Five of the best horses Walter Swinburn rode: SHERGAR Shergar first, the rest nowhere. It was as simple as that in the 1981 Derby. That was how the race went, with the Sir Michael Stoute-trained colt bolting up by 10 lengths - the Derby's widest ever winning margin. Nineteen-year-old Swinburn was going so well that he was standing up in his irons rounding Tattenham Corner with the rest of what was a sub-standard field struggling in his wake. Further glory awaited in the King George. ZILZAL History will show there has not been many better milers than Zilzal. Stoute's star bagged Group One success for Swinburn in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. PILSUDSKI Another great Stoute-Swinburn partnership came with the Lord Weinstock-owned Pilsudski, who was a four-year-old in 1996 when he landed the Royal Whip at the Curragh before the Grosser Preis von Baden and the Breeders' Cup Turf, when he led home a one-two for Stoute ahead of stablemate Singspiel. LAMMTARRA Trained by Saeed bin Suroor, Lammtarra only raced four times - finishing unbeaten - and after winning on his debut at Newbury, Swinburn was again in the saddle for his second start - the 1995 Derby. SAYYEDATI Clive Brittain's magnificent filly remains one of the best of her sex we have ever seen. Swinburn won the 1992 Cheveley Park Stakes on her as a two-year-old and followed up the next year in the 1000 Guineas, before beating the colts in the Jacques le Marois at Deauville.
