Racehorse owner Clive Smith obituary [Video]

Clive Smith, the owner of racing greats Kauto Star and Master Minded has died following a short illness, aged 82.

Mr Smith studied accounting and gained a business degree, then became an entrepreneur, first involved with golf and building golf courses.

His first racehorse, the Jenny Pitman-trained Hawthorn Hill Lad, was the first to run in Mr Smith’s yellow, green and purple silks in 1987. He had horses with trainers Martin Pipe and David Elsworth, and his first major win was with the Martin Pipe-trained Rainbow Frontier in the Grade Three Swinton Handicap Hurdle.

In 2003, Mr Smith joined forces with Paul Nicholls and the following year, Mr Smith bought Kauto Star from France. The gelding became one of the most successful staying chasers of all time. Trained by Paul and ridden by Ruby Walsh, Kauto Star won 16 Grade Ones from 2005 to 2011. He won more than £2m, …