GEORGE William Robinson, who died shortly after his 86th birthday which was on August 5th, was among the elite of Irish jockeys, a man for whom time never eroded the memory of his great days in the saddle. He was a man who carried the mantle of being a gentleman easily and he was as stylish in his daily life as he was in the saddle.

Born in Co Kildare, though the family afterwards moved to Co Meath, he was known as William to his family and close friends and Willie to the world at large. He was the son of George Robinson and his wife Maev ‘Bette’ (née Kennedy). His maternal grandfather Edward bred The Tetrarch.

With a pedigree such as he had he was born to ride, and opened his account as an amateur at Navan in June 1954 on Reinstated, trained by his father. Light enough to alternate between flat and jumping, and a devotee of the riding skills of Martin Molony, Willie turned professional at the age of 22 in 1956, his first winner in that capacity being Roberta, trained by his uncle ‘Ginger’ Wellesley. Willie went on to win the 1957 Irish Grand National on Kilballyowen for trainer Paddy Norris.

In 1958 Willie was champion jockey in Ireland and headed the combined Irish jockeys’ table with 46 winners. That same year he rode Paddy’s Point trained by his father, to finish second to Hard Ridden at Epsom. Back on home ground he went agonisingly close to getting recompense in the Irish Derby when short-headed by Liam Ward on Sindon. Never one to mince his words, he described Paddy’s Point as one “who would always find one to beat him.”

First retainer

Willie’s first retainer as a professional was with Major John Corbett near Downpatrick and this lasted for two years. He then joined forces with Dan Moore in Old Fairyhouse, across the road from the racecourse in Co Meath. Guy Williams says of Willie: “From being my sporting icon he became my role model. Supreme stylist both in the saddle and out of it, Willie Robinson set a standard to which lesser mortals could only aspire. If his technique of ‘sitting on his hands’ did not meet with universal approval, no one ever saw him getting carted. Horses settled instantly in his God-given hands.

“Such was Willie’s success on stable stalwarts Quita Que and Team Spirit in those ultra-smart ‘Black, white seams and cap,’ of owner Doreen Brand, they simply had to become my colours, as and when. Thanks to Arthur Moore they duly did, and so remain. Ironically, it was in those very colours that Willie was facially scarred for life when Team Spirit came down in the Grand National, trapping his jockey who got kicked in the face by another faller.”

The early sixties brought with it a move to England and the number one position with the great Fulke Walwyn in Lambourn. The legendary trainer was not an easy man to please, but he and Willie were a formidable partnership, one that was cemented in racing history thanks to the exploits of one Mill House. The Walwyn-Robinson alliance had its genesis when the trainer sought a replacement for injured champion jockey Fred Winter on Mandarin in the 1961 Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury. He offered Willie the mount. Willie thought himself certain to be required by Dan Moore for mounts at Navan, but to his surprise Moore gave his consent. Mandarin won.

Willie’s entry in the 1963 Directory of the Turf bears repetition. Under ‘recreations:’ “Hunting when I can. Tennis and a little golf. Swimming in warm water. Take some interest in breeding and farming.” In that edition Willie listed the highlight of his riding career as “Winning the Ulster Harp National on the Queen Mother’s Laffy.” The Queen Mother attended the races that day.

Marriage

By the time of his marriage to Susan Hall in July 1964 Willie had joined an elite group who had ridden winners of the Champion Hurdle (Anzio, 1962), the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Mill House, 1963) and the 1964 Grand National in which he got Team Spirit up in the dying strides to succeed at their fifth attempt. While he listed that as the highlight of his career, Willie disclosed that Team Spirit would only give of his best when he knew the last fence was safely behind him. He later added a second Champion Hurdle triumph with Kirriemuir.

In the 1970 Directory of the Turf, Willie, by then father of daughters Emma and Lara, declared 1970 as his final season in the saddle. He then set up as a trainer on the Curragh, in Stepaside, made famous by J M ‘Mickey’ Rogers.

Willie made a spectacular start to his second career when sending out Bert Firestone’s King’s Company to win the 1971 Irish 2000 Guineas and the Cork and Orrery Stakes at Ascot. He repeated that Royal Ascot success in the Cork and Orrery with Kearney in 1980. In September 2003 the Lake Conistan filly Lupine won at the Curragh with Michael Kinane in the saddle. Willie bred, owned and trained her and she was his last winner as a trainer.

He is survived by Susan, daughters Emma and Lara and their husbands Noel Mayfield-Smith and David Duggan.

Famous wins

Principal winners as a jockey include:

Principal winners as a trainer include: