Death of Willie Robinson, jockey of Mill House, Arkle's great rival

The death has occurred of the Moynalvey native former jockey, Willie Robinson, famous for his association with Millhouse, the great rival of Arkle, in the 1960s.

Aged 86, and formerly of Pheopotstown House, Kilcock, Willie had been living at Carrighill, Calverstown, Kilcullen, Co Kildare.

G W Robinson rode a succession of other big-race winners during his time as stable jockey to Fulke Walwyn in the 1960s, notably Anzio and Kirriemuir (Champion Hurdle), Mandarin (Hennessy Gold Cup), and Team Spirit (Grand National).

Willie will be best remembered as the jockey of Mill House with whom he triumphed in the Cheltenham Gold Cup of 1963 and later that year beat Arkle in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

However, Arkle turned the tables in the 1964 Cheltenham Gold Cup and went on to win all three oftheir subsequent clashes.

Robinson enjoyed success as a trainer, winning the Irish 2,000 Guineas with King's Company in 1971.

In April 2014, he attended the unveiling of the Arkle statue in Ashbourne, when he spoke to the Meath Chronicle.

“I believe that the rivalry did a great deal for Irish-English relations at the time, to have two Irish bred horses competing at the top level and ridden by two Irish jockeys, Taaffe and myself,” Willie said then. “It sweetened up the whole thing.”

However, he didn’t believe that Arkle ‘broke Mill House’s heart’ as many claim, but that there were underlying issues with the horse. It was a pity both horses were out at the same time, he added, as they were both great in their own rights.

His father was in the mechanical engineering and horses business, and young Willie took up race riding, retained by a number of trainers north and south of the border. Not long after Mill House, bred by Lawlors of Naas, went to England, he was brought over by trainer Fulke Walwyn, and became associated with the horse.

Willie is survived by his wife, Susan; daughters, Emma and Lara; grandchildren, sons-in-law, extended family, friends and neighbours.

Funeral prayers take place at 2pm on Monday 17th August in Moynalvey cemetery, Summerhill, followed by burial. Those attending should follow the advice on social distancing.

Family flowers only please, donations to the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund https://direct-donations-2018.everydayhero.com/ie/irish-injured-jockeys-donate or Irish Jockeys' Trust