Horse racing dynasty hit by tragedy

Tributes paid to daughter of Lambourn trainer the late Fred Winter (pictured), after she was found dead on Christmas Eve

THE HORSE racing world was mourning one of its own this week after Joanne Winter, daughter of the legendary Lambourn trainer the late Fred Winter (pictured), was found dead at her home.

Miss Winter, whose partner David Berry died of cancer earlier this year, was discovered in Ashbury on Christmas Eve after she failed to attend a family gathering.

Wiltshire police have said there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death.

Miss Winter, who had her own stables, Winter Racing, in Kingston Lisle, just a few miles from Lambourn, was a good friend of fellow trainer Nicky Henderson and of the Newbury Weekly News and Channel 4 racing correspondent Luke Harvey, whose full tribute is on the sports pages of this today's (Thursday's) NWN. Mr Henderson said that he was, “like everyone else in Lambourn's close-knit community, gutted by the news”.

Another friend, the celebrated trainer and author Jenny Pitman, said: "We've known her a very long time and she was a good friend to an awful lot of people. She is someone, I'm sure, who will be missed by an awful lot of people.

"Joanne was always the same – very honest, very kind and very fair. There were not two sides to her and she dealt with everybody the same.

"She will be missed for that and for the nice person that she was."

Miss Winter is survived by her mother Diana and sisters Denise and Philippa. An inquest into her death will be held at a later date.