Noel Murless

Sir Charles Francis Noel Murless (24 March 1910 – 9 May 1987) was a British racehorse trainer.

He began his career as ain 1935 at Hambleton Lodge in Yorkshire before moving to Hambleton House after the war, at one time sharing premises with Ryan Price.In 1947, he moved south, first to Beckhampton, Wiltshire (where he was champion trainer in his first season) and then onto Warren Place, Newmarket (where his one-time son-in-law Henry Cecil would later train). In 1952 he became manager of Eve Stud, owned by Sir Victor Sassoon, and was the mastermind behind its racing success. Murless purchased the property from Sir Victor's widow in 1970 and named it Woodditton Stud. Sir Noel continued the practice of standing stallions there, including the top-class racehorses Connaught and Welsh Pageant. The stallion tradition was maintained when the stud was sold to Mr Yong Nam-Seng of Singapore in 1981.

Noel Murless retired in 1976 as trainer of horses and was knighted the following year.

Murless had nineteen classic wins in England and two in Ireland. Of these there were three Epsom Derby wins, with Crepello (1957), St. Paddy (1960) and Royal Palace (1967). Like his Warren Place successor, he also had an outstanding record in The Oaks, saddling no less than five winners: Carrozza (1957), Petite Etoile (1959), Lupe (1970), Altesse Royale (1971) and Mysterious (1973). His greatest horse was Royal Palace who preceded his Derby success by winning the 2,000 Guineas, to which he added the Eclipse and the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes the following year.