Retired trainer Robert Armstrong passed away on Feb. 5 after a brief illness, reported Racing Post. He was 77.
A trainer of champions Moorestyle (GB) (Manacle {GB}) and Never So Bold (GB) (Bold Lad {Ire}), Armstrong trained from his Newmarket base of St Gatien Stables for 27 years until 2000. He was a third-generation trainer after his father and grandfather. In total, his horses won 13 Group 1 races. Sheikh Hamdan utilised Armstrong as a trainer for approximately 15 years until his retirement. One of the notable winners in the Shadwell blue and white was Maroof (Danzig), who saluted in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II S. in 1994.
“It's very sad news,” said Shadwell Racing Manager Angus Gold to Racing Post. “Robert was a wonderful man to me personally and he had a very good relationship with Sheikh Hamdan.
“We enjoyed a lot of good times together and he was a very easy man to deal with. He was a fascinating man to be around and was a very generous host and a great trainer to boot.”
“Mujadil and Mujtahid were probably the best he trained for us as well as Maroof who was an underrated horse. There certainly was no fluke about the way he won the QEII that day.”
Armstrong is survived by his wife Jane, sister Susan Piggott, the wife of legendary jockey Lester Piggott, and nieces Tracy Piggott and Maureen Haggas.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
