“He was a great writer and a wonderful man,” Alan pays tribute to Alastair Down

November 2

There have been so many wonderful tributes about my former colleague, but, more important, close friend Alastair Down, who sadly died on Thursday at the age of 68.

Alastair was the modern day Hugh McIlvanney, the most wonderful wordsmith who could make the armchair reader think he was at the track. He painted a picture like nobody else could, he was different class as a writer, and the entire pressroom sang from the same song sheet, declaring that he was “simply the best”.

It was Alastair’s passion for racing, particularly jumping, that made him special, and Alan was quick to join a bevy of other trainers in praising this rare talent.

Alan said:”It was awful hearing the news about Alastair. I was very fond of him, and he was a great writer and tremendous supporter of jump racing , but he was also a wonderful man. He’d regularly send me messages and keep in touch, and he will be a great loss. My thoughts go out to his family.”