Joseph Lawson (trainer)
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Joseph Lawson (1881–1964) was a British trainer of racehorses. Lawson rose from a position on the staff at Alec Taylor Jr.'s stable to become one of the most successful British trainers of the mid 20th century. He trained the winners of twelve British Classic Races and was
British flat racing Champion Trainer The Champion Trainer of flat racing in Great Britain is the trainer whose horses have won the most prize money during a season. The list below shows the Champion Trainer for each year since 1896. The Championship was originally run from November ...
on two occasions.


Background

Joseph Lawson was born in 1881 at Boldon Gint, near Marsden, County Durham. He worked as a farm labourer before beginning a career in horse racing.


Early career

Lawson began his career as an
apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a new generation of practitioners of a trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study (classroom work and reading). Apprenticeships can also enable practitioners to gain a ...
jockey to his local trainer Thomas Barrasford at Marsden Hall. He began riding in races in 1897, but his career as a jockey was brief one, as his rising weight made him uncompetitive. He moved to
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where he joined the staff at the stables of Alec Taylor Jr. at Manton. Lawson eventually took on the role travelling head lad, meaning that he was responsible for the condition and welfare of horses at race meetings when Taylor himself could not be present. He was later designated assistant trainer and when Taylor retired in 1927, Lawson took over as the trainer at Manton.


Training career

Lawson inherited the patronage of several leading owners from Taylor and attracted several others. In his second full season of training he sent out Lord Astor's filly
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to win the Epsom Oaks. Two years later, Lawson's stable won £93,899 in prize money, setting a record which stood for 26 years and giving him his first trainers' championship. His biggest winners that season were the Ascot Gold Cup winner Trimdon and the champion two-year-old
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. Lawson's success continued through the 1930s, with his other major winners including Pay Up (2000 Guineas), Rhodes Scholar ( Eclipse Stakes),
Exhibitionnist Exhibitionnist (foaled 1934) was a French-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare, best known for winning two Classics in 1937. The filly won three times from six races in a racing career which lasted from 1936 until July ...
and
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. The successes of Pay Up and Rhodes Scholar in 1936 gave Lawson his second trainers' title. During the
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, Lawson's team was strengthened by the arrival of the horses owned by
Lord Glanely William James Tatem, 1st Baron Glanely (6 March 1868 – 28 June 1942), known as Sir William Tatem, Bt, between 1916 and 1918, was a Cardiff ship-owner and thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. Career Tatem was born in Appledore, North De ...
, who closed down his private stable at the outbreak of hostilities. Lawson's wartime winners included the 2000 Guineas winners Kingsway and
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and Glanely's filly Dancing Time, which won the 1000 Guineas in 1941. In 1945, Lawson left Manton after being advised by doctors that he needed to "restrict his activities". Instead of retiring however, he relocated to Newmarket at the age of 66, where he took over the running of the Carlburg stable in 1947. Seven years later, Lawson recorded the most important victory of his training career when Never Say Die won the 1954 Epsom Derby.


Retirement

Lawson retired from training in 1957 and lived at Newmarket until his death in 1964.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawson, Joseph 1881 births 1964 deaths British racehorse trainers