AFTER 1,700 winners, one of the country's oldest and longest-serving racehorse trainers is hungry for just one more success to round off an illustrious career.

Denys Smith would like one more victory before the end of the Flat racing season this month when he finally calls it a day after nearly 50 triumphant years.

Over that half century he was equally successful over the Flat and jumps and he holds the rare distinction of having saddled winners in the Grand National with Red Alligator in 1968 and in the Lincoln in 1969 with Foggy Bell.

It was the National win that made sporting legends of Mr Smith, his jockey Brian Fletcher and most of all, butcher Jack Manner's horse Red Alligator, in his home town of Bishop Auckland, County Durham.

The scenes when thousands packed the streets to welcome them back will probably never be repeated in the area, and brewers Vaux even named Mr Smith's local in South Church after Red Alligator.

Mr Smith won't be forgotten by his sport and some of his favourite racecourses, including his local track Sedgefield where he clocked up 145 winners, are already making plans to name races after him.

He has many friends in racing and he's been promised a round of retirement parties at several UK tracks.

At 78, Mr Smith blames his advancing years for his decision to quit what, he says, has become a young man's game.

He's down to eight horses at the Holdforth yard where he once had 76 in training and has been subsidising the business from his own pocket.

He said yesterday: "I've had a great life but Father Time is catching up with me and it is time to stop.

"I'm still healthy and strong and I love working with horses, but racing is so expensive these days and prize money has not kept pace with increasing overheads."

Mr Smith has a proud racing record to look back on, starting with his first winner Owens Mark at Sedgefield, in 1958.

Then a self-taught permit holder, he turned "public" in 1961 and averaged a winner a week during the next quarter of a century.

He worked with the best in the business including top trainers Sir Noel Murless and Ryan Price and champion jockeys Lester Piggott and Willie Carson.

There were also local riders such as Fletcher, Tommy Wise and Tommy Nevin and Mr Smith's son Richard who had 20 wins and granddaughter Melanie who had two.

Carson still remembers the day he rode five winners at Redcar, including five for the Smith yard.

He said yesterday: "I had a lot of good times with Denys. He had a lot of good horses and was a lovely guy to ride for. He is well respected in the racing world."

Fellow North-East trainer Howard Johnson, from Crook, said: "Denys is a smashing fellow. He has been at the top of his profession for 50 years and there won't be a better dual purpose trainer in the North.

DENYS SMITH

FACTFILE:

* 1958, first winner Owens Mount, at Sedgefield

* 1967/68, Champion National Hunt trainer

* 1968, Aintree Grand National win with Red Alligator

* 1969 first major Flat win in the Lincoln Handicap with Foggy Bell.

* Group 1 wins Tudenham, 1972, Middle Park Stakes, 1976, Flying Childers Stakes, with Willie Carson on Mandrake Major

* Major jumps wins, 1968 Great Yorkshire Chase with Sixty Nine; 1971 Fighting Fifth Hurdle and Scottish Champion Hurdle, both with Dondieu; 1968 Gloucester with King Cutler

* 1990 best Derby result, fifth with Karinga Bay