THE tragic loss of jockey Campbell Gillies in a swimming pool accident in Corfu this week impacted heavily on the county yard of Alex Hales at Edgcote.
Gillies rode a rising percentage of Hales horses from the turn of the year and entered the winner’s enclosure on board Salut Honore twice, in January and March and Farewellatmidnight during April.
The Hales web-site this week carried a striking tribute to the 21 year-old rider after Hales and his partner Sally Burnell had been delivered the shock news from an owner who had introduced them to Gillies. It read: “It was one of those telephone conversations where you can’t believe what the person on the other end of the line is saying.
“Not only was he a lovely lad but he also had a talent which you can only be born with and was sure to take him far.”