Richard C. Dawson

Richard Cecil "Dick" Dawson (1865 – 1955) was an Irish-born owner and trainer of racehorses.

From his home in Cloghran, Dawson went to Lambourn, England in 1897 and set up shop at Whatcombe Stables in Wantage, Oxfordshire. He brought with him the steeplechase horse Drogheda who won the 1898 Grand National. Dawson left Whatcombe Stables to train flat racing horses for newspaper publisher Sir Edward Hulton (1869-1925). He eventually returned to Whatcombe to take charge of the stables for HH Aga Khan III.working with Frederick Hollis as head stable lad,, Frederick Hollis with his wife Caroline nee Green from South Fawley lived in tied cottage at Whatcombe, he died around 1943 44 in tied cottage,,,,his son John Hollis born in tied cottage march 29 1930,took over the trainers license at 14 or 15, the youngest person in UK to hold a trainers license,and kept the stables working until he was called for national service, at 18, on a couple of occasions the night before the grand national and other big races they had to move the horses during the night, fearing the opposition would come and drug the horses,,,,

Dick Dawson was British Champion Trainer in 1916, 1924 and 1929, winning numerous important races including four Epsom Derbys, three St. Leger Stakes, one 2,000 Guineas, and two Epsom Oaks.

Dawson owned Blandford, the English champion sire in 1934, 1935 and 1938 who sired Bahram, the 1935 English Triple Crown champion.

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