Eric Cousins dies

Eric Cousins, a trainer who specialised in plundering big handicap races during the 1960s, was found dead yesterday after he went swimming during a holiday in Barbados.

His body was discovered following a 20-hour search by coastguards and police. Cousins, 74, had disappeared after going for a swim at dusk on Thursday.

Martyn Meade, a Wiltshire trainer, identified the body. He said: ''At the moment we don't know what happened, whether he had a heart attack or not. It's a great tragedy. He came down from Florida to join me and my wife to have a chat about a few horses.''

Cousins trained for Robert Sangster, currently also on holiday in Barbados, and others at Tarporley, Cheshire. He prepared four winners of the Ayr Gold Cup, as well as winning the Lincoln twice and the Jubilee four consecutive times. Many a successful gamble was organised, notably when Sangster's Brief Star won the 1969 Ayr Gold Cup after being backed from 33-1. Alan Bailey, who now trains at Cousins's old yard, said: ''He was a cracking nice man and a great trainer who did an awful lot for racing.''

n The Jockey Club is to hold two inquiries after horses trained by John White and Jeremy Glover have tested positive for flunixin, a prohibited substance. Take Two, trained by White, was found to contain the substance after a race at Stratford on 26 October last year, as was Glover's Croft Pool after running at Newmarket 12 days earlier.