SINGAPORE,  7 Nov 2009

Singapore today bid farewell to one of her favourite sons, racing icon Ivan William Allan, aged 68.

A highly respected figure at home and abroad, Allan died on Wednesday evening after a long battle with illness. His funeral was held today.

Born in Penang and educated at the St Xavier Instituiton, hs was studying law in Singapore when his trainer father died in 1964, thus launching him into the sport of kings.

Allan went on to become the best trainer local racing has ever produced. He was champion trainer seven times and won the Singapore Gold Cup and the Singapore Derby a record nine times each.

Two of the best horses he trained in Singapore were JUMBO JET (Pavot - Lady Luss by Balloch), who captured the Tunku Gold Cup, Queen Elizabeth II Cup, Singapore Derby and Perak Derby in the same season in 1972, and COLONIAL CHIEF (Vice Regal - Gold Seine by Gold Sovereign).

JUMBO JET was invited to run in the Washington Laurel International and was in a great winning position with Lester Piggott in the saddle when brought down by a fallen down horse.

COLONIAL CHIEF, winner of the Singapore Gold Cup in 1989, went to Hong Kong later that year to capture the second running of the Hong Kong Invitation Cup (then a six-a-side contest between Hong Kong and MRA horses) which became the predecessor to the Hong Kong International Cup and later the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup.

Allan was granted a licence to train in Hong Kong in 1992 and it was there that really made his name as a trainer. In 12 seasons in Hong Kong, he won 536 races, 36 local and international Group Ones, trained six horses who clinched the Horse of the Year title and more than HK$550 million in prizemoney.

Two of the best horses he trained in Hong Kong were FAIRY KING PRAWN (Danehill - Twiglet by Twig Moss), winner of 12 races including the Group 1 Yasuda Kinen in Japan, and INDIGENOUS (Marju - Sea Port by Averof), winner of 16 races and a gallant second in the Japan Cup in 1999.

Allan was known to have a sharp eye for horses with several of his purchases winning important races around the world, the most important being COMMANCHE RUN (Run The Gantlet - Volley by Ratification) in the English St Leger in 1984 partnered by Piggott.

Ill health prompted Allan to call it quits in 2004 when still very much at the height of the game. A bachelor, he was survived by his mother Moyrah, 89.