The shock death of Australian cricketing great Shane Warne at the age of 52 had racing officials at Ascot recalling fond memories of his visits to the track.
The second highest wicket-taker of all time is still remembered for his attendance at the Shergar Cup in 2004.
He captained the Rest of the World team that included Frankie Dettori and Gerald Mosse to victory over Great Britain and Ireland and helped promote the competition that was at the time in its early days.
“He captained the team in the Shergar Cup back in the day. He was here with a lot of his colleagues and his Australian cricket friends as well. I recall Glenn McGrath being there,” said Nick Smith, director of racing and communications at Ascot.
“His team won. It was a two-team competition in those days. I remember they had a lot of fun.
“He came to the Shergar Cup a couple of times and he was very keen to help, to make the most of the event and promote it.
“He did a brilliant job with the kids. We did a sports masterclass and he was showing everyone how to do a Mike Gatting-type ball (it was Gatting who faced Warne’s ‘ball of the century’ at Old Trafford in the 1993 Ashes series).
“He did come racing here subsequently a few times. He came to the King George one year and obviously came with Liz Hurley a lot. It was not unusual to see him.
“It’s incredibly sad news. He was a genuine sports and broadcasting legend.”
Multiple champion jump jockey Sir Anthony McCoy became a friend of Warne’s.
He told Sky Sports Racing: “Obviously he was one of the greatest cricketers who ever lived, but the more you came to spend time with him as a person you actually got to realise what a legend he was as a bloke and how he had time for everyone. He always upbeat and bubbly, and would always make you feel good.
“He just seemed to have lots of class about him, when people stopped him he would always give them time. I’m not a cricket fan, but you could tell by the amount of people anywhere he went – people wanted to spend time and listen to him or get a picture with him. You’d look at him and think ‘that’s what a proper global superstar looks like’.
“It’s just very sad. At the Dunhill this year I spent a bit of time with him and he was a proper fun lad. Life cut him way too short way too quick at that age, but he had a pretty amazing life – what he did and what he achieved.
“It’s just very sad, you can’t believe that someone who can always be so upbeat and OK is not here anymore.
“You’d often play a few games of golf with him in the summer when he’d be over and one thing you’d do is definitely feel better after spending time with him.”
