William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon

William Edward Robin Hood Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon, LVO (born 30 January 1948), is an English hereditary peer, and former racehorse trainer to Queen Elizabeth II.

Hastings-Bass (now styled Lord Huntingdon) is from an equestrian family: his father (Peter Hastings-Bass) and grandfather (Aubrey Hastings) were horse trainers; Hastings-Bass's mother, Priscilla Hastings, was also a racehorse owner and among the first women admitted as members of the Jockey Club.

In August 1990, the 16th Earl of Huntingdon died without male issue, thus Hastings-Bass, the great-grandson of the 14th Earl, inherited the title. He was married to Susan Warner from 1989 to 2001, and is the maternal uncle of Clare Balding.

Hastings-Bass was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Cambridge. He started in horse training as assistant to Noel Murless and in Australia with Bart Cummings and Colin Hayes. He gained his trainer’s licence in 1976.

From 1988 to 1998, he ran his yard at West Ilsley, Berkshire, having taken over from Dick Hern. Horses he trained include Ascot Gold Cup winners Indian Queen and Drum Taps. He retired from horse training in 1998, citing financial problems.

After retiring as the Queen’s racehorse trainer, he was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (L.V.O.) and has taken part in charity work, driving a lorryload of supplies to Bosnia and taking part in bike ride across Borneo and a safari in the Australian outback.

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