Born into an elite Irish brewing family, harry j. n. guinness lived a life of privilege few could imagine. Yet he carved his own path pursuing his passion for horses, becoming one of Britain's most successful steeplechase jockeys and trainers. Guinness' upper-class upbringing opened doors, but it was his dedication and talent with thoroughbreds that led to his storied career in the sport of kings.
As a descendant of the Guinness brewing empire, harry grew up rubbing shoulders with British royalty and aristocracy. This rarefied world provided opportunities, but also expectations to uphold the family reputation. Rather than rest on his pedigree, Guinness forged his own legacy as a champion jockey and trainer. His career successes, including training the Queen's racehorses, demonstrated that he was more than just his famous last name.
For over 40 years, Guinness thrived at the pinnacle of British horseracing. His accomplishments included training the legendary Grand National winner Gay Trip. Such triumphs cemented his status among the sport's elite. While privilege opened doors, harry's passion and talent for working with horses allowed him to ride and train his way into horseracing history.
Early Life of Harry J. N. Guinness
Harry Jeremiah Newman Guinness was born on November 10, 1935 in Madrid, Spain to parents Bryan and Diana Guinness (harry j. n. guinness)1. He came from a wealthy Irish brewing family and was the great-great-grandson of Arthur Guinness, who founded the Guinness Brewery in Dublin in 1759. As a child, harry grew up between England, Ireland and Spain. In his youth, he attended Eton College, an elite British boarding school. During this time, he developed a passion for horses and racing. After graduating Eton, harry completed his National Service in the British Army's Royal Horse Guards regiment.
Career in Horse Racing
In the late 1950s, Guinness pursued his love of horses and became an amateur steeplechase jockey. He trained under trainer Fulke Walwyn and rode many winners as an amateur rider. His racing successes included wins at Cheltenham in 1956 and Aintree in 1957. In 1959, Guinness retired from being a jockey and became a professional racehorse trainer. He trained horses at Easton Park Stables in Great Dunmow, Essex. During his training career, he trained notable steeplechasers including Gay Trip, who won the prestigious Grand National race in 1970. In 1978, Guinness was appointed to be one of the first Queen's Trainers after the Queen decided to have her racehorses trained professionally rather than at the Royal studs.
Marriages and Family
In April 1956, Harry Guinness married his first wife Princess Dolores von Fürstenberg-Hedringen. She was an Austrian princess and member of the House of Fürstenberg princely family. Together they had three children before divorcing in 1972: Sebastian, Victoria and Patrick Guinness. In 1978, Guinness married for a second time to novelist and socialite Lady Henrietta Mary Fitzalan-Howard. She was the daughter of the 3rd Baron Howard of Glossop. They had two children together: Arlo Edward and Jemima Guinness. Throughout his life, harry maintained close friendships with members of the British aristocracy and royalty due to his family lineage and connections.
Later Career and Death
In the 1980s, Guinness began winding down his training career. He stepped back from full-time training to focus on managing his noble stud farm near Newmarket. However, he continued to work occasionally as a trainer for the Queen's horses. In 2001, Guinness fully retired from training racehorses after over 40 years in the sport. Outside of horseracing, he served as High Sheriff of Essex from 1986-1987. On March 9, 2007, Harry Guinness died at the age of 71 after a brief illness. His horseracing legacy lives on through his children's continued involvement in the sport.
Legacy and Honors
Harry Guinness was regarded as one of Britain's top steeplechase trainers during his career. He trained over 1,700 winners, including more than 100 successes at the prestigious Cheltenham Festival. Some of his top horses includedcategories IIIHe was honored for his achievements when he was made a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1978. This recognized his contributions as a trainer for the Queen's racehorses. Today, Guinness is remembered for his successes both as a jockey and trainer. The annual Harry Guinness Novice Hurdle race at Fontwell Park Racecourse is named in his memory.
1. Vamplew, Wray; Joyce, Joyce (2005). Mud, Sweat and Beers: A Cultural History of Sport and Alcohol. Oxford: Berg. p. 169 ↩
