AS a boy growing up in Yorkshire, Teddy Beckett was surrounded by horses and people devoted to the equine species and, as he freely admits, he would have had a problem in later life had he not been able to find a job involved with horses.

His late father, Lord Grimthorpe, was a horseman to the core, Master of the Middleton Hunt, breeder of the 1977 1,000 Guineas winner Mrs McArdy and an avid racegoer. He had horses in training with Pat Rohan, Jimmy Fitzgerald and Mick Easterby and it was inevitable that the heir would make his career round racehorses.

"We had the most wonderful stud groom, Dick Johnson, who worked for the family for almost 60 years," says Lord Grimthorpe. "He was whipper-in for my grandfather with the Middleton and his knowledge of horses, how to look after them, prepare them, everything about them, really lit my flame.

"He looked after our point-to-pointers and the family is still involved with the Middleton – we sponsor the Grimthorpe Cup which is run every year at Whitwell-on-the-Hill."

Inspired by all he had learned from Dick Johnson, the young Grimthorpe spent time travelling the world learning all aspects of racing business and made an impression as a bloodstock dealer before becoming racing manager to Prince Khalid Abdullah, who has over 200 horses in training and also owns the massive Juddmonte breeding operation in England, Ireland and the United States.

Then, just after the Royal Ascot meeting on Knavesmire in 2005, Lord Grimthorpe was invited to become a member of the York Race Committee. His wide-ranging connections within the racing world led to York's chairman Nicholas Wrigley and chief executive William Derby suggesting this year that he take up a new role, which fits perfectly with his position with the Prince's Juddmonte operation, as York's international ambassador.

"How lucky can you be?" asked Lord Grimthorpe. "I would have been totally unemployable in any other sphere of life. Racing ambassador sounds frightfully grand but the job certainly isn't as regal as it sounds.

"I travel quite a lot with the Prince's horses and this role dovetails well. I give the committee any feedback I can on innovations made by courses I visit, how they are presenting their races and how they are promoting racing in general.

"I also gain an impression of what sort of horses might welcome invitations to race at York, especially in the Group 1 contests like the Juddmonte International – in which I am obviously involved anyway – and the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes with the intention of adding to the quality of the day's racing at York.

"I also try to spread the word about York and let people I come into contact with know what we are trying to do here," added Lord Grimthorpe, whose travels from his base at Newmarket take him to Ireland and France on a regular basis and also include visiting the United States three or four times a year as well as journeys to Dubai, Hong Kong and occasionally Singapore.

"I also spent time in India, Turkey and South Africa when I was younger so from the point of view of contacts I had quite a good grounding," he added.

Over recent years the appearance at York of several outstanding horses from around the world has added to the glamour and thrill of the Ebor fixture with the climax to the 2005 Juddmonte International in which the Italian-trained Electrocutionist triumphed in a blanket finish which also included Zenno Rob Roy, owned and trained in Japan, ranking among the best in living memory.

This year the spotlight falls on the filly National Colour, winner of two Group 1 contests in her native South Africa, who stayed on in England after running in the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and competes in the Nunthorpe.

Closer to home, Lord Grimthorpe expects to have several horses wearing the famous Khalid Abdullah colours, worn so memorably by Dancing Brave among others, in action during the Ebor Festival.

"Famous Name, trained for us by Dermot Weld in Ireland, was just beaten from a wide draw in the French Derby and is in the Juddmonte International," he said. "So is Phoenix Tower, who was caught on the line by Mount Nelson in the Coral-Eclipse.

"Promising Lead most likely goes for the Nassau Stakes at Glorious Goodwood and then might take her chance in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks."

Zacinto impressed so much in winning at Sandown recently that he was installed as early favourite for next year's 2,000 Guineas but Grimthorpe urges caution. "He is a really interesting prospect and it is encouraging to have him but talk of him being a likely Guineas winner is premature. Realistically it is probably 10-1 about him even running in the race, let alone winning."

What with prospects of a rewarding Ebor meeting, many top races yet to come this season, at least one promising two-year-old to target at the leading juvenile prizes then who-knows-what and the challenge of raising York's profile across the racing world, life could hardly be better for the young Grimthorpe who grew up with horses.


York attracts group 1 stars


Of the 55 entries for the Ebor meeting's three Group 1 races 18 have already been successful at the highest level.

Three-year-olds entered include: Henrythenavigator (2,000 Guineas and St. James Palace), New Approach (Derby), Lush Lashes (Coronation Stakes) and Halfway to Heaven (Irish 1,000 Guineas).

Older horses entered include: Finsceal Beo (last year's 1,000 Guineas), Peeping Fawn (Darley Irish Oaks 2007 and Darley Yorkshire Oaks 2007), Ramonti (multiple Group 1 winner), Duke of Marmalade (Prince of Wales's) and Soldier of Fortune (Coronation Cup and Irish Derby).

Of the entries, 26 are trained in England (including Saeed Bin Suroor's), 27 in Ireland, one in France and one in South Africa.