Terry Casey loses battle with cancer

Terry Casey, who trained Rough Quest to win the 1996 Grand National, has died after a long struggle with cancer, it was announced yesterday. He was 56.

Casey started his racing career as a jockey, serving his apprenticeship with Aubrey Brabazon in his native Ireland, before taking out a licence to train in 1983.

Rough Quest, who won the Racing Post Chase and was second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup prior to his victory over Encore Un Peu at Aintree, was the most successful runner from Casey's yard near Dorking, but he also won good prizes with horses including Nick The Brief, Over The Road and Glenrue.

"He was a great, instinctive trainer," Andrew Wates, Rough Quest's owner, said yesterday. "He got inside the mind of horses and that was what made him so successful from limited resources. Rough Quest always had a lot of ability but he needed some knowing, and Terry was able to unlock that ability."

Fahd Salman dies at 46

Fahd Salman, one of Britain's leading owners for almost 20 years, has died after suffering a heart attack on Tuesday night, at the age of 46.

Salman's dark green silks were carried most famously by Generous, who won the Derby, the Irish Derby and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1991. A nephew of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, he also owned Ramruma, the winner of three Group One events, including the Oaks, in 1999.

Many of Salman's best horses, including Generous, Bint Pasha, Riyadian and Ibn Bey, were trained at Whatcombe by Paul Cole. Henry Candy, Sir Mark Prescott, Barry Hills, Sir Michael Stoute, Henry Cecil and Luca Cumani also trained for Salman, while his runners in the United States were prepared by Neil Drysdale.

"It's a terrific shock," Cole said yesterday. "It's a big hole for me, as he was such an important part of my life. He was a good friend and he was a part of Whatcombe. It's a horrible thing."