Trainer Alan Swinbank, who conditioned Collier Hill (GB) (Dr Devious {Ire}) to Group 1/Grade I victories on three different continents, passed away suddenly Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
Based in North Yorkshire in the north of England, Swinbank campaigned a plethora of point-to-point winners beginning in the 1970s before moving over to the flat. He took out his trainer's licence in 2001 after and trained nearly 800 winners, none more prominent than Collier Hill, who was a Group 3 winner in Sweden in 2004 before winning the G1 Irish St Leger in 2005 and the GI Pattison Canadian International and G1 Hong Kong Vase the following season. Also a Group 2 winner in Germany, Collier Hill placed in the G1 Dubai Sheema Classic in 2005 and 2006. Dean McKeown was in the saddle for the final 15 of Collier Hill's 45 career appearances, including all Group/Grade 1s.
Swinbank was also a successful bloodstock agent, selling the likes of future Australian Group 2 winner Libran (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}), US & UAE GSW Formal Decree (Ger) (Diktat {GB}) and Final Venture (GB) (Equiano {Fr}), a two-time winner at handicap level at the 2017 Dubai World Cup Carnival.
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