Alec Taylor, Sr

Career

Taylor first began working as a trainer for Sir Joseph Hawley and John Stanley in 1848 at Fyfield, Wiltshire, just west of Marlborough on the old Bath Road. He began winning in 1851 with Aphrodite in the 1000 Guineas and Teddington in the Derby. It was the first of what would be eleven wins in the five British Classics.

After these wins Sir Joseph Hawley left and Taylor continued as private trainer for John Stanley until 1856 when Stanley retired. This left Taylor a tenant at Fyfield to continue as a public trainer. The Marquis of Ailesbury sent some horses to Taylor which soon resulted in St Albans winning the 1860 Chester Cup and St Leger. In 1864 Palmerston came second in the Derby and in 1866 Savernake also came second in the Derby for the same owner. This success attracted Sterling Craufurd ("Craw") took his horses to Fyfield having been double crossed by his previous trainer. In 1868 Taylor sent Craw's Moslem to dead-heat for the 2,000 Guineas.

By 1870, Taylor had seen the construction of Manton Stables near Marlborough in Wiltshire, with the financial backing of Stirling Crawfurd, a property developer in Glasgow and coal mine owner one of the owners of the horses that Taylor now trained. The new Manton Down stables were adjacent to the Fyfield Down gallops which Taylor had used and developed since he arrived at t Fyfield in 1948. Manton Stables were considered one of Britain's "most famous and prestigious training facilities" and were described as:

Those fortunate enough to visit the Manton establishment cannot fail to be impressed by the completeness of every detail. The buildings possess a singularly attractive and quiet beauty. [There are] spacious paddocks, splendid stables, and boxes [stalls] unsurpassed for size and abundance of light and air.

In 1873 Gang Forward won the 2000 Guineas race, the first of his eight classic winners from Manton. He won a total of 12 classics, ending in 1887 with Reve d'Or at the Oaks and 1000 Guineas. In a career that lasted approximately fifty years, Alec Taylor trained winners of numerous other important English races.

He had a reputation for punishing his employees. A former employee of Taylor remarked:

A breakfast at Manton had consisted of tea, bread, and cuts from a riding crop, with the only second helpings coming from the crop.

Classic Race wins

Taylor's wins in the British Classic Races include:

2,000 Guineas

1,000 Guineas

Epsom Derby

Epsom Oaks

St. Leger Stakes

Personal life and family

His father, Thomas Taylor, was a trainer to Lord Chesterfield.

Alec Taylor, Sr. died in 1894. Following his death, his sons Tom and Alec, by different mothers, ran Manton Stables from 1895. Alec Taylor, Jr. became a successful trainer, and was known as the Wizard of Manton.

In 1863 Taylor's jockey Eli Drew died following a fall at Brighton Racecourse aged 21. Drew had arrived at Fyfield aged 11 and Taylor. his wife and the other apprentices and lads were the only family he had. He was a promising young jockey and had won a number of races for Taylor including a Caesarewich. Alec Taylor constructed a Lych Gate to Fyfield Churchyard. The woodwork had rotted by the 1930s and had to be removed but the two stone gateposts still bear the inscription 'In Memory of Eli Drew'

Both Alec Taylor, his family and Eli Drew are buried in Fyfield Churchyard, their gravestones are just west of the Church Tower.