Steve Cauthen salutes ‘mentor’ Barry Hills with memories of special relationship

It was Barry Hills who first introduced Steve Cauthen to both British life and racing and one of the all-time great riders remembered fondly the times spent with his mentor and friend after his death at the age of 88.

Although a Triple Crown-winning jockey Stateside, Cauthen was only 19 when owner Robert Sangster lured the ‘Kentucky Kid’ across the Atlantic in 1979, where the young American was given a crash course in British mannerisms but quickly inducted into the Hills fold with open arms.

Cauthen told the PA news agency: “I can’t say enough good things about both Barry and (his wife) Penny and when I came over in 1979 they not only took me under their wing they took me into their house.

“They were wonderful to me, Barry took a day or two to get used to as he could be gruff at times, but he was always trying to just get the job done – Penny was great at helping me understand he wasn’t necessarily mad at me!

“They always made sure I had everything I needed when they were shipping me off out of town or to Scotland or wherever, it was a great relationship.

“Barry taught me a lot and helped me grow up and helped me to get to the top in England. Barry made a big move from stable lad to trainer and was never going back and he would try to get everyone in the yard motivated to ‘get off their arse’ as he would say.

“He was a great horseman, but more than that he loved to have fun – he bought me my first set of golf clubs, he was a mentor and like a dad to me.”

As well as their budding relationship off the track, Hills and Cauthen’s association on it was also an immediate success as Tap On Wood secured 2000 Guineas glory in their very first Classic in unison.

There would be many other great days together during their time, with the 65-year-old American never able to forget Gildoran providing the fitting finish to his time at Manton in the 1984 Ascot Gold Cup.

Cauthen continued: “Barry was a great trainer, but we had some ups and downs and when I first got there we won three or four Group races, including the 2000 Guineas, and then the horses got sick, which was a nightmare.

“The next year things weren’t all that great, but we kept going and building and the winners at Ascot started to happen and Cormorant Wood came along and we would win some big races with her.

“Gildoran winning the Gold Cup at Ascot the last year I was with them was obviously a big moment being Mr Sangster’s horse and it was an exciting day which capped off our six years together.”

Cauthen would eventually head east to Newmarket to link up with Sir Henry Cecil, but he would never forget his adopted home and a friendship with the Hills family that has stood the test of time.

He may no longer be able to reminisce with one of the outstanding trainers of his generation on his visits to the UK, but remains sure Hills’ many words of wisdom will remain ringing in the ears of those closest to him.

Cauthen said: “We had some great times. There are so many funny stories down the years and it was tough for me to move to Henry Cecil. Even though it was the right thing for my career, it was a hard thing to do as I felt so close to Barry and Penny.

“We remained great friends and they are like family to me. I was honoured I was one of the first calls Michael (Hills) made after Barry died, as he knew how close we were.

“I would never go back to Britain without calling them and seeing when we could meet, it was always my number one priority.

“Penny and the family will miss him, but I’m sure he will still be with us all. We will never forget the stuff he would say and there will be situations where it will hit you right between the eyes and his words will pop into our heads.”