Newmarket Mourns Death of Julie Cecil

Julie Cecil, the former wife of Sir Henry Cecil and a popular Newmarket trainer in her own right, died April 13 at the age of 80.

The daughter of great trainer Sir Noel Murless, Cecil was the first wife of Sir Henry and played a crucial role in her former husband's success, with Sir Henry training Epsom Derby (G1) winners Slip Anchor and Reference Point, fillies' Triple Crown heroine Oh So Sharp, outstanding milers Bolkonski and Kris, and top-class stayers Le Moss and Ardross during their marriage, which lasted from 1966 to 1990.

Following her divorce from Sir Henry, Cecil set up training at Southgate Stables on Hamilton Road and saddled the first of her 190 wins as a trainer when Golan Heights won at Newmarket in April 1991.

The best horse she trained was Alderbrook, who won the Prix Dollar (G2) in 1994 before going on to win the Smurfit Champion Hurdle for Kim Bailey in 1995, while she also trained smart performers such as Gneiss, Paster Noster, and Dark Den, who was her biggest winner over jumps when winning the Free Handicap Hurdle in 1994.

Cecil gave up her license in 1998 and spent her retirement living in a cottage in Newmarket until her death.

Trainer William Jarvis worked for the Cecils at Warren Place between 1979 and 1984 and paid an emotional tribute to a "truly special person."

He said: "When I worked for Sir Henry she really was his right-hand person. I'm very lucky to have known her for as long as I did. I couldn't speak highly enough of her and it all comes from the heart.

"There were very few like her. COVID knocked her badly because she really was a people person. She loved seeing people and entertaining. It was tricky for her and I regret not seeing her more in the last few years."

"She left a lot of happy memories with people in Newmarket and beyond. She deserved everything nice that was said about her because she was a truly special person."

Jarvis also recalled how she was able to help start his career in racing, which has seen him train group 1 winners Grand Lodge and Lady Bowthorpe, during a trip to Goodwood when he was 14.

"She was probably the reason I got the job with Sir Henry," he added. "When we traveled down to Goodwood she said to him, 'Gosh, what a lovely, charming young man Ryan Jarvis' son is; I think we ought to give him a job one day.' I wasn't charming but it was nice of her to have said that!

"She was a very decent trainer too. I remember galloping Grand Lodge with Gneiss and after she retired she very kindly sent me a few horses; one called Two Clubs went on to win a listed race in France.

"We had a lot of fun days, she had a colorful sense of humor which was all meant in the right way. She was a wonderful lady."

Steve 'Yarmy' Dyble, who worked under Cecil at Warren Place in the 1970s and 1980s, said: "It's sad news. Julie and Henry were a great team at Warren Place and it was a pleasure to work for them."

"'Madam,' as we called her, used to ride a lead horse called Fool's Mate and if you could ever get to her you knew you were on a good one."

Terry Kent rode winners for Cecil when she was training and paid tribute to her handling of Alderbook before his big-race glories over jumps for Bailey.

He said: "It was a bit of an injustice at the time as I remember as Julie made that horse. I rode Julie a good few winners over jumps but both personally and professionally she did so much for me and I owe her so much."

"What I remember about her most was her mischievous sense of humor which she kept to the end; she was just a wonderful person. My thoughts are with her family."

Cecil leaves behind two children, Katie and Noel, from her marriage to Sir Henry.