\n<\/p>\n
Winning the Derby in 1971 was the crowning moment in one of the finest seasons ever seen in the saddle.<\/p>\n
With Mill Reef he captured the Derby, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in Paris – victories that remain etched in the sport’s history.<\/p>\n
He also claimed the Oaks, the Coronation Cup, the Ascot Gold Cup and the Lockinge, making him virtually unbeatable that year.<\/p>\n
Although his family moved to London when he was a boy, Lewis’ roots in Wales were never forgotten.<\/p>\n
His journey into racing began at the Waldorf Hotel, where he worked as a page boy before jump jockey Tim Molony spotted his build and suggested he try racing.<\/p>\n
Apprenticed to Ron Smyth at Epsom, he quickly rose through the ranks, riding his first winner in 1953.<\/p>\n
By 1957 he was first jockey at Kingsclere, enjoying big-race victories for Sir Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth II.<\/p>\n
But it was Mill Reef who defined him, the little colt who carried a Welshman to racing immortality.<\/p>\n
Lewis went on to partner 1,880 winners in Britain, twice finishing runner-up in the jockeys’ championship and winning five Classics.<\/p>\n
After retiring as a jockey, Lewis turned his hand to training and found success once more.<\/p>\n
Based in Epsom, his stable included champion sprinter Lake Coniston, who stormed to glory in the 1995 July Cup.<\/p>\n
In November 2024, Lewis’ lifelong contribution to Welsh sport was celebrated when he received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Welsh Horse Racing Awards in Cardiff.<\/p>\n
Too ill to attend in person, his daughter Mary and grandchildren Luci and Alex collected the award on his behalf.<\/p>\n
The award was a fitting reminder of his place in Welsh sporting history.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n