Fulke Walwyn

Fulke Thomas Tyndall Walwyn CVO (8 November 1910 – 18 February 1991) was a British jockey and a celebrated racehorse trainer, who was particularly successful in National Hunt racing.

Walwyn was born in Wrexham. His twin sister, Helen Johnson Houghton (1910 - 2012), was a racehorse owner and trainer who was one of the first women elected as a member of the Jockey Club. His cousin, Peter Walwyn, is now retired, but was also a racehorse trainer.

His father Colonel Fulke Walwyn was an officer in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and Master of the Monmouth Hounds from 1922 to 1931. His mother died when Helen and Fulke were still young.

He was educated at Malvern College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and then became an officer in the 9th Lancers but resigned his commission in 1935. He was a military policeman for two years in the Second World War, before serving with the 9th Lancers in France.

As a jockey, his most notable victory came as an amateur rider on Reynoldstown in the 1936 Grand National. He rode as a professional after he left the army, but was forced to retire from riding after a fall at Ludlow in 1939 fractured his skull. He bought a stables at Delamere House in Lambourn, and had immediate success, training 18 winners before the outbreak of the Second World War. Walwyn attempted to rejoin the forces but was rejected because of his racing injuries. He moved to Saxon House stables in 1944, and became one of the most successful National Hunt trainers of all time.

He trained the winners of four Cheltenham Gold Cups, two Champion Hurdles, five King George VI Chases, seven Whitbread Gold Cups, seven Hennessy Gold Cups and a Grand National, in 1964 with Team Spirit. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer five times.

...
Wikipedia