Michael Jarvis (14 August 1938 – 20 September 2011) was a

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

horse trainer A horse trainer is a person who tends to horses and teaches them different disciplines. Some of the responsibilities trainers have are caring for the animals' physical needs, as well as teaching them submissive behaviors and/or coaching them for e ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. Based in Newmarket, Jarvis trained numerous

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

winners including three winners of the British Haydock Sprint Cup. Jarvis's horses also won important races in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. He kept approximately 80 horses in training, and his main jockey was Philip Robinson. Jarvis's career spanned almost 40 years from his first win at the top-rated

Haydock Sprint Cup The Sprint Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), an ...

in 1969 to his 2007 win of the Italian

Premio Roma The Premio Roma is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Capannelle over a distance 2,000 metres (about 1¼ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in November. History The e ...

. He announced his decision to retire on 22 February 2011 with almost immediate effect, handing over the yard to his long-time assistant

Roger Varian Roger Varian is a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, based at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk. Riding career Varian moved to the United States as a teenager and found employment as a work rider at Hollywood Park. On his return to t ...

. This was due to ill health – Jarvis had undergone surgery for a heart condition and was also suffering from prostate cancer, and said in the months running up to his retirement that his health had deteriorated. He died on 20 September 2011 at the age of 73.

Major wins

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, France, over a distance ...

– (1) – ''

Carroll House Carroll House (5 March 1985 – 8 February 2008) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from September 1987 until July 1990 he raced twenty times in six countries and won seven race ...

(1989)'' *

Prix du Jockey Club The Prix du Jockey Club, sometimes referred to as the French Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a ...

– (1) – '' Holding Court (2000)'' ----

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

– (3) – ''Tudor Music (1969), Green God (1971), Petong (1984)'' *

International Stakes The International Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 56 yards (2, ...

– (1) – ''

Beldale Flutter Beldale Flutter (foaled 4 April 1978) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and sire (horse), sire. As a two-year-old in 1980 he was rated one of the best horses of his generation after winning three of his fiv ...

(1981)'' *

Coronation Cup The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2 ...

– (1) – ''

Easter Sun Easter Sun (10 April 1977 – ca. 1988) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Horse breeding#Termimology, sire. In his first three seasons he showed good form in handicap races but appeared to be well below top class. In 1982, at the age ...

(1982)'' *

Lancashire Oaks The Lancashire Oaks is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 1 mile, 3 furlongs and 175 yards (2 ...

– (2) – ''Noushkey (1999), Ela Athena (2000)'' *

1,000 Guineas The 1000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

– (1) – '' Ameerat (2001)'' *

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

– (1) – ''

Rakti Rakti (10 February 1999 – December 2010) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse, who won six Group One races in Italy (where he was originally trained) and the United Kingdom in a career which lasted from 2001 to 2005. Background Rakti was ...

(2003)'' *

Prince of Wales's Stakes The Prince of Wales's Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 1 furlong and 212 yards (2,004 ...

– (1) – ''Rakti (2004)'' *

Queen Elizabeth II Stakes The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is s ...

– (1) ''Rakti (2004)'' *

Chester Cup The Chester Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 147 yards () at Chester i ...

– (2) – ''Anak Pekan (2004 & 2005)'' *

Lockinge Stakes The Lockinge Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Newbur ...

– (1) – ''Rakti (2005)'' *

Epsom Oaks The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards ...

– (1) – '' Eswarah (2005)'' ----

Irish Champion Stakes The Irish Champion Stakes ( Irish: Curadh-Dhuais na hÉireann) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Ireland open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Leopardstown over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlongs (2,01 ...

– (1) – ''Carroll House (1989)'' * Pretty Polly Stakes – ''Tarfshi (2002)'' ----

* Bayerisches Zuchtrennen – (1) – ''Pressing (2009)'' *

Grosser Preis von Baden The Grosser Preis von Baden is a Group 1 flat horse race in Germany open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Baden-Baden over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is schedu ...

– (2) – ''Carroll House (1988), Morshdi (2001)'' ----

Gran Premio d'Italia The Gran Premio d'Italia is a Listed flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbreds. It is run at Milan over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), and it is scheduled to take place each year in June. History The event was ...

– (1) – ''Welsh Guide (1988)'' *

– (2) – ''Welsh Guide (1988), Pressing (2007)'' *

Derby Italiano The Derby Italiano is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Capannelle over a distance of 2,200 metres (about 1 mile and 3 furlongs), and it is scheduled to take place each year in ...

– (2) – ''Prorutori (1989), Morshdi (2001)'' * Premio Presidente della Repubblica – (3) – ''Bob Back (1985), Polar Prince (1998), Rakti (2003)''

References

1938 births 2011 deaths British racehorse trainers People from Newmarket, Suffolk {{UK-horseracing-bio-stub