Folkestone racecourse, which closed in 2012, never had much to brag about, particularly as regards their flat racing. But their executive had a go by nominating a race at their first meeting of 1974 as the Privy Councillor Guineas Trial, over 1m110y. It was the first classic trial of the season, and Kent’s first classic trial ever.
Privy Councillor was an above average two-year-old, winning three times in 1961, but seemed well below classic class. The same could be said for many others in the Free Handicap (qv), for which there were 10/1 joint favourites. Privy Councillor won it at 100/7.
Nobody was impressed, and he was sent off at 100/6 for the 2,000 Guineas, but he won that too – fair and square by three lengths. He didn’t win again. He went to stud at the end of the season and produced nothing of note.
Privy Councillor had run once at Folkestone as a two-year-old, coming second in a six-runner conditions stakes. But the main reason for the race being named after him was his owner, Major (later Sir) Gerald Glover, was a keen supporter of the racecourse, where he was at various times a steward, director and chairman.
Sir Gerald, born in 1908, was already head of a firm of London solicitors by 1936, when he moved to Pytchley House in Northamptonshire. He served with Military Intelligence in the war. An astute businessman, he was for some time chairman of a City property company with assets of more than £200m. He set up Edgar Investments in the 1950s and sold it to the Prudential in 1980. He was a prominent member of various Conservative Associations near his home and served on the boards of a number of charities. He had a special interest in Folkestone. He was a benefactor and director of its New Metropole Arts Centre. He partly sponsored the New Metropole Stakes, the racecourse’s richest race for two-year-olds and did his best to win it with one of his own horses. Later he sponsored the New Metropole Challenge Cup.
Sir Gerald died in 1986 after a long battle against cancer. A month later it was announced that the Metropole, no longer New, would close due to lack of subsidies from local authorities. He had a race at Folkestone named after him by 1989 and Glover Insurance sponsored a Challenge Cup there until 1996.
In 1977 the ambitious “Guineas Trial” in the title was dropped in favour of “Stakes”. The Privy Councillor Maiden Stakes’ most distinguished winner was Kalanisi in 1999; a future Breeders’ Cup Turf winner. The maiden was often divided, the two divisions on 24 April 2001 were the last.