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Edinburgh Live
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Rory McIlroy's star-studded line-up of neighbours in UK mansion after Masters win
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Following his Masters victory and the completion of his career grand slam, Rory McIlroy is set to move his family to London. The 36-year-old ended his major drought last month by securing the only major championship missing from his impressive resume, joining a select group of golfers who have won the career grand slam. This was a significant accomplishment for McIlroy, who celebrated the win by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. However, before landing in Belfast, he, his wife Erica Stoll, and their daughter Poppy made a brief stop in London in their private jet to view the Surrey mansion they plan to move into. For several years, McIlroy and his family have lived in a grand home in Jupiter, Florida, a neighbourhood filled with ultra-wealthy golfers, actors, and business people, according to the Irish Mirror, reports Belfast Live. The sunny Florida weather undoubtedly complements McIlroy's golfing aspirations, as its climate and resources allow him to practice year-round. However, the five-time major champion has not kept secret his and his wife's desire to move to the UK, with the couple buying a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. After reportedly spending over €10 million on renovations to the Surrey home, the McIlroys are now expected to move in next month. In doing so, they will join a long list of famous names who have chosen to live in an area known for its exclusivity. In the elite circles of golf, Rory McIlroy's new neighbours will include the likes of South African golfing hero Ernie Els and former Ryder Cup skipper Thomas Bjorn. Fellow Irishman Paul McGinley is just around the corner in Sunningdale, with ex-Ryder Cup leader Sam Torrance also in the vicinity. Golf rivalry and camaraderie are ripe in the area with Justin Rose, whom McIlroy triumphed over in a thrilling Masters playoff, also calling this prestigious neighbourhood home. Away from the fairways, former Chelsea mainstay John Terry, now turned golf enthusiast, resides near the Wentworth course, alongside former England cricket star Kevin Pietersen who shares a passion for the greens. Historical figures like Formula One's Eddie Jordan have been past locals, with Ukrainian football ace Andriy Shevchenko also previously settling in the area. Amongst the illustrious residents, McIlroy will count global power figures like the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah of Wentworth Estate, and Russian business magnate Petr Aven as neighbours, not to mention Tullow Oil founder Aidan Heavey who has stakes in the estate. Join Edinburgh Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sentstraight to your messages. Wentworth's luxury and its prime location near London and international gateways have lured a diverse array of prominent personalities. Music industry giants such as Elton John and Cliff Richard have previously had residences there, while Wentworth Estate's notorious past includes hosting Chile's one-time ruler Augusto Pinochet, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and the renowned chat show host Michael Parkinson. However, life amongst such grandeur isn't without its downsides; Gary Numan confessed to Uncut music magazine in 2019 his worries about spectral presences, "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted. "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on. "So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
Irish Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
'He would have won six Gold Cups' - the story of Arkle's death 55 years on
Paddy Woods could still recall the moment clearly. He was enjoying a holiday with his wife Phyllis in London for the 1970 Derby at Epsom when he was stopped in his tracks by a newspaper seller. A pleasant stroll after lunch along the River Thames was interrupted with shocking news as he stared in disbelief at the headline on the front page; 'Arkle is dead'! 55 years ago, the greatest and most iconic horse of all-time, Arkle, took his last breath. Severely painful arthritis in his feet had been plaguing him for some time and on May 31, 1970 the agonising decision was made by his owner Anne Duchess of Westminster, his former jockey Pat Taaffe and vet Maxie Cosgrove to put him down. Arkle's magnificent career had ended three and a half years earlier in December, 1966, when he fractured his pedal bone while jumping a fence in a surprise defeat at the King George in Kempton. Ironically, on that London visit, one of the first things Paddy did was visit Kempton and renew acquaintanceship with friends he had made when looking after Arkle during the weeks of veterinary care. 'I couldn't believe it. We had just been talking to the lads in Kempton that morning. I'd made a lot of friends there when they looked after him and I said I couldn't come to London without seeing them,' said the late Paddy in a 2020 interview with the Irish Mirror. 'We stopped for a cup of tea after lunch and there was a paper shop there and I saw the headline. He died the night before. It was a big shock,' recalled Woods, who rode Arkle out every morning during his brilliant career, also winning a race on him at Gowran Park in 1962. Arkle had finished a stricken second to Dormant in that King George on December 27, 1966. It was a dank and misty afternoon and very few saw it happen as the race was not covered by the BBC. There's no TV footage anywhere but for Woods, who sadly passed away aged 93 in April 2024, the memories were vivid during that 2020 conversation. 'I was there the day he got hurt, not only that I was there for two weeks afterwards too. He was there for six or seven weeks but I couldn't stay any longer. I'd a young family at the time. 'I had gone over with Arkle to the race, myself and Johnny Lumley (Arkle's stable lad). The race had been put off on St Stephen's Day because of frost and we were furious because we thought they could have raced. We definitely would have raced in Ireland. 'Myself and Johnny walked the track afterwards and noticed he'd taken a lump out of the toe bar at the ditch past the stands. The vets said that's what definitely did it. 'They X-rayed him and confirmed the break. I remember Johnny innocently asking them if it would put him out of the Gold Cup in March. I said 'It will put him out of this year's Gold Cup and next year's too.' 'It was disappointing because he'd have definitely won the 1967 Gold Cup. It was a really bad race. He'd have won a fifth the following year too as Dreaper's won it with Fort Leny, a horse much inferior to Arkle. Johnny reckons he'd have won six Gold Cups.' Arkle was a chasing superstar in the 1960s and his fame in these islands equaled that of The Beatles and Mohammed Ali. He won 27 of his 35 races, including three Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1964, '65 and '66, while his astonishing weight-carrying feats in races like the Irish Grand National, Hennessy Gold Cup and Leopardstown Chase are still the stuff of legend. He was trained by Tom Dreaper in Greenogue, a small townland around two miles outside of Ashbourne in county Meath, and for four seasons his brilliance and personality transcended the sport while his battles with Mill House began the Irish-English rivalry which made the Cheltenham Festival what it is today. He's still the highest rated steeplechaser of all-time, an awe-inspiring animal so far ahead of the rest that a different handicapping system had to be used when he raced. After several attempts to get him back on the racecourse, Arkle was officially retired in 1968, and had moved back to his owner the Duchess of Westminster's farm at Bryanstown, near Maynooth in Kildare. Pat Taaffe had called in to visit his old partner with his daughter Olive, fussing over him with apples and treats, but noticed all was not well with the 13-year-old when he went to close the stable door. 'I had to move him back a foot and when I did, he almost fell. I realised that it was only courage and pride now keeping him on his feet,' Taaffe poignantly recalled in his book My Life and Arkle's. He immediately called the vet and the Duchess, and a decision was reached that evening. One of Maxie Cosgrove's partners in his Lucan clinic, James Kavanagh, walked to the back of his car and filled the syringe. Arkle would have felt nothing, it could have been a routine injection, and the greatest steeplechaser the racing world has ever known passed away peacefully. Woods still recalls his first experiences with Arkle, adding: 'He just came to be my ride out. I didn't think that much of him at first, he was just another horse. Then one morning I was riding him out on the gallop and I thought, 'He's going to be great.' 'I rode Arkle every day. He was very good at home. 'Mr Dreaper was a brilliant man. He was a genius; no one knows how good he was. He was a great man to work for too.' Woods got to ride Arkle in 1963 at Gowran Park in a hurdle race when the stable jockey Pat Taaffe couldn't do the weight of 10st5lbs. 'I thought I should have ridden him first time out but Pat (Taaffe) was riding Liam McLoughlin's horse Kerforo, and the boss man was fair and gave the ride to Liam. 'The day in Gowran we were running in because Johnny Lumley had a tip or something. I was going in with him and as soon as I set foot in the place the boss man grabbed me and said, 'get your colours on, you're riding Arkle'. 'It was a good race. He was beaten twice before that but was favourite. Going past the stands I was pushing and kicking and thought I had no chance. I thought he was done. He was gone. 'I got serious three out, and gave him a few slaps down the shoulder. I asked for a big one, we took off in fourth and landed in the lead. I never heard another horse until we pulled up.' Arkle was a huge celebrity in the 1960's - the Dreaper's even having to hire a secretary, Mrs Tinsley, to reply to all the fan mail he would receive, some just addressed to 'Arkle, Ireland'. Dominic Behan wrote a song about him and he even appeared on the Late Late Show with Gay Byrne. Visitors to the yard would have been regular but Woods remembers one occasion when two musical superstars of that era, Dickie Rock and Butch Moore, came to see Arkle. "Ah the two of them got up on him all right. It was a funny sight. Dickie wore his winkle pickers. 'I was friends with Butch and I remember being at a show with Roly Daniels some years afterwards and Roly was talking about horses,' recalls Woods. Country singer Daniels had an interest in horses and owned Hazy Dawn, a mare that gave WIllie Mullins his first Cheltenham Festival success in the 1982 National Hunt Chase. Daniels famously celebrated by singing Danny Boy in the winners' enclosure. 'Roly was telling us about his horses and Butch butted in and said: 'What are ya talking about, sure I rode Arkle, didn't I Paddy.' It was very funny.' Woods also remembered a huge security alert one time. 'Mrs Dreaper answered the phone to the British Police warning her that a pair of dopers, masquerading as a couple with the female an attractive blonde, had caught the ferry to Ireland.' 'Would ya believe as she looked out the window to the front gates, there was the couple getting out of their car. Paddy Murray (head lad) stopped them and quickly gave them gate.' Murray was another key member of the Arkle team, famously mixing two bottles of Guinness into his nightly feed called 'the mash.' 'Guinness would deliver bottles of beer to the yard every week for Arkle. We'd a bit of bother keeping some of the lads away from them though,' recalled Woods, who never drank. 'I was disappointed though when we were putting up the statue in Ashbourne a few years ago. Lynsey Dreaper wrote to Diageo but they said no, they weren't interested in giving us anything towards it. They got plenty of mileage out of Arkle with all the photographs.' Woods returned to London with Arkle in 1969 for the Horse of the year show at Wembley. 'It was a great week. Everything was paid for. I'd actually left Dreaper's at that stage but they asked me to go over with him and Pat. He was stabled about half an hour away on a big estate. He seemed as good as ever. 'In the nightly parade at the show there was a well-known cockney fruit seller, a famous fella in London or something, with a donkey and cart. Arkle loved sweets; he could smell in a pocket from three yards away. 'On the last night we decided to have a bit of craic. A tune was played for every horse and for Arkle it was, 'There'll Never Be Another You' by Nat King Cole. The cart man stopped in front of me and I let Arkle have a look at it, I let the reins loose and he nosed the back of the cart, and started scoffing like a child. 'He ate a big hamper of fruit and he got a huge applause; it brought the house down.' Speculation had been rife the previous year in 1968 that Arkle would race again. A special race was arranged at Fairyhouse for his comeback but his fate was sealed when Dreaper took him to Naas to school over hurdles with stablemate Splash. After they had jumped the hurdles Taaffe walked him over to Dreaper who asked: 'All right Pat?' The reply came: 'No, sir.' 'When do you think he will be right?' 'I think he will never be right, sir.' Taaffe died in 1992 at just 62, having had Ireland's second ever heart transplant the previous year. That Wembley trip was to be his final outing but Woods revealed that the Duchess decided to give Arkle one more chance to prove himself before resigning herself to his retirement. 'The Duchess asked me to meet her in the yard one of the mornings. She asked me to put the saddle and bridle on him and give him a spin. All the locals were out taking photographs and everything. 'We did about a mile and a quarter and he worked great and felt absolutely marvellous. I said 'you'll have to put this fella back in training, that's as good as ever he was'. 'We did the same thing the following morning but he took a lame step and that was it. Her vet had told her that might happen and if it did, he was finished for good.' Arkle's story continued even after his death. He was buried on the Duchess' farm in Bryanstown but in 1976 after the land was sold it was feared his grave could vanish if developed for houses. A museum at the Irish National Stud was being started and a controversial idea was forged to display Arkle's skeleton as a centrepiece - where it still is displayed to this day. The Duchess took some persuading and the project was not short of controversy with Arkle's breeder Alison Baker abhorring the idea - only accepting an invitation to meet the Queen in 2011 on condition she didn't have to see Arkle's remains. Paddy met the Queen too that morning, 'she was just like one of us, I couldn't believe it. She said to me 'it must have been very exciting to ride him.' I said it was great, sure a child would have ridden him. ' Paddy and his wife Phyllis, who passed away in January 2020, stayed on for the Derby in 1970 and witnessed another equine superstar Nijinsky power to victory at Epsom in one of the race's greatest ever performances. Himself would surely have approved.
Wales Online
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Rory McIlroy's new celebrity-filled UK neighbourhood has football legends and oligarchs aplenty
Rory McIlroy's new celebrity-filled UK neighbourhood has football legends and oligarchs aplenty Rory McIlroy, who recently won the Masters to complete the career grand slam, is set to move his family to the UK after years of living in sunny Florida Rory McIlroy and his family have lived in sunny Florida for the last few years (Image: Getty Images ) Following his triumphant Masters victory and the completion of his career grand slam, golfing star Rory McIlroy is set to move his family to London. The 36-year-old ended a significant major drought last month by clinching the only major championship missing from his impressive record, thus joining an exclusive group of golfers who have achieved the career grand slam. This marked a momentous occasion for McIlroy, who celebrated by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. Before landing in Belfast, however, he, his wife Erica Stoll, and their daughter Poppy made a brief detour to London in their private jet to inspect the Surrey mansion they plan to call home. For several years, the McIlroys have lived in a luxurious residence in Jupiter, Florida, an area known for its affluent residents including top-tier golfers, actors, and business moguls, according to the Irish Mirror. Florida's sunny climate undoubtedly suits McIlroy's golfing ambitions, providing year-round opportunities for practice. Yet, the five-time major champion has never hidden his and his wife's desire to relocate to the UK. The couple purchased a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. Chelsea legend John Terry is a keen golfer (Image: (Photo by) ) Having reportedly spent over £8.4million (€10m) on refurbishments to their Surrey home, the McIlroys are now expected to make the move next month. In doing so, they will join a host of famous faces who have chosen to live in this exclusive enclave, reports Belfast Live. In the elite circles of golf, McIlroy is set to rub shoulders with neighbours such as South African great Ernie Els and ex-Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn. Fellow Irishman Paul McGinley has a residence in nearby Sunningdale, joined by another Ryder Cup leader, Sam Torrance. Justin Rose, whom McIlroy triumphed over in a playoff to clinch the Masters title, also calls this prestigious area home. Former Chelsea skipper John Terry, known for his passion for golf, resides near Wentworth, along with ex-England cricketer and fellow golf enthusiast Kevin Pietersen. Previously, former F1 team owner Eddie Jordan - who passed away in March - and Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko were among the high-profile homeowners here. Other illustrious figures in McIlroy's neighbourhood will include the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and Russian businessman Petr Aven. Aidan Heavey, who established Tullow Oil, is another notable resident on the estate. The allure of Wentworth, with its proximity to London and major airports, has drawn a diverse crowd. The Sultan of Brunei reportedly has a net worth of £37billion ($50bn) (Image: AFP via Getty Images ) Music legends like Elton John and Cliff Richard have at times owned properties in the vicinity. The estate has also been a dwelling place for former Chilean leader Augusto Pinochet, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and television host Michael Parkinson. However, living in such exclusive locales isn't to everyone's taste, as Gary Numan shared with Uncut music magazine in 2019: "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted. Article continues below "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on. So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
McIlroy's new UK neighbours include footballers, oligarchs and Sultan of Brunei
Rory McIlroy is set to move his family from Florida to the UK next month, with the five-time major champion and his wife Erica Stoll having spent millions on renovations to their Surrey mansion Following his Masters victory and the completion of his career grand slam, Rory McIlroy is set to move his family to London. The 36-year-old ended his 11-year major drought last month by securing the only major championship missing from his impressive CV, joining a select group of golfers who have won the career grand slam. This was a significant accomplishment for McIlroy, who celebrated the win by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. However, before landing in Belfast, he, his wife Erica Stoll, and their daughter Poppy made a brief stop in London in their private jet to view the Surrey mansion they plan to live in. For several years, McIlroy and his family have lived in a grand home in Jupiter, Florida, a neighbourhood chock-full of wealthy golfers, actors, and business people, according to the Irish Mirror. The sunny Florida weather undoubtedly suits McIlroy's golfing ambitions, as its climate and resources allow him to practice year-round. However, the five-time major champion has not hidden his and his wife's desire to move to the UK, with the couple buying a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. After reportedly spending over £8.4million (€10m) on renovations to the Surrey home, the McIlroys are now expected to move in next month. In doing so, they will join a long list of famous names who have chosen to live in an area known for its exclusivity, reports Belfast Live. In the elite circles of golf, McIlroy's neighbours are to include South African icon Ernie Els and ex-Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn. His fellow Irishman Paul McGinley resides nearby in Sunningdale, joined by another Ryder Cup skipper, Sam Torrance. Masters playoff victor over Justin Rose, McIlroy will also share the locale with the accomplished golfer. Chelsea icon and keen golfer John Terry is a resident within proximity to Wentworth, where ex-England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, also an enthusiast of the green, has made his home. Ex-Formula One boss Eddie Jordan - who passed away in March - and Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko once graced the area with their presence. McIlroy's notable neighbours extend to royalty with Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, on the Wentworth Estate and Russian oligarch Petr Aven. Wentworth has further allure for tycoons like Tullow Oil's Aidan Heavey who owns a slice of this real estate heaven. The opulence of Wentworth Estate, as well as its strategic location offering quick routes to London and key airports, lures a diverse profile of residents. Music royalty such as Elton John and Cliff Richard have savoured the Wentworth life at some point. Even controversial figures like Chile's one-time dictator Augusto Pinochet, alongside Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, and television's Michael Parkinson have enjoyed the grandeur here. While many revel in the lap of luxury, for synth-pop pioneer Gary Numan, as he related to Uncut magazine back in 2019, it wasn't quite the dream: "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted," he said. "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on. So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Rory McIlroy now has some very famous neighbours after making London move
Rory McIlroy now has some very famous neighbours after making London move Rory McIlroy is set to move his family from Florida to Surrey next month, with the five-time major winner and his family set to have some famous faces as neighbours Rory McIlroy, Erica Stoll and their daughter Poppy will soon move to Surrey (Image: AP ) Following his recent Masters victory and the completion of his career Grand Slam, Rory McIlroy is preparing to relocate his family to London. The 36-year-old golfer ended his major championship drought last month by securing the only title missing from his impressive collection. This achievement places him in the prestigious club of golfers who have won the career Grand Slam. This victory was a significant relief for McIlroy, who celebrated by returning to his hometown of Holywood in Northern Ireland to visit his parents. However, before touching down in Belfast, he, his wife Erica Stoll and their daughter Poppy made a brief stop in London in their private jet to view the Surrey mansion they plan to call home. For several years, the McIlroy family has resided in a luxurious home in Jupiter, Florida, a neighbourhood populated by affluent golfers, actors and business people, reports the Irish Mirror. Florida's sunny weather undoubtedly complements McIlroy's golfing aspirations, as its climate and facilities allow him to train throughout the year. However, the five-time major champion has not hidden his and his wife's wish to move to the UK, having purchased a property on the Wentworth Golf Club estate a few years ago. After reportedly spending over €10million on renovations to their Surrey home, the McIlroys are expected to move in next month. In doing so, they will join a long list of famous names who have chosen to reside in this exclusive area. In the golfing world, McIlroy's neighbours are set to include South African legend Ernie Els and former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn. Irish compatriot Paul McGinley resides in nearby Sunningdale, as does another ex-Ryder Cup captain, Sam Torrance. Justin Rose, whom McIlroy defeated in a play-off to clinch the Masters, also calls the area home. Former Chelsea skipper John Terry, an avid golfer, lives near Wentworth, as does ex-England cricketer and fellow golf enthusiast Kevin Pietersen. In years gone by, Formula One icon Eddie Jordan and Ukrainian footballer Andriy Shevchenko both owned properties in the vicinity. Other notable neighbours for McIlroy will include the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, a resident of Wentworth Estate, and Russian oligarch Petr Aven. Aidan Heavey, the founder of Tullow Oil, also has a property on the estate. The luxurious environs of Wentworth and its convenient access to London and international airports have drawn individuals from all walks of life. Music legends Elton John and Cliff Richard have both owned properties in the area over the years. Wentworth Estate has also been home to former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, and chat show supremo Michael Parkinson. Article continues below However, not all found comfort in residing within the upscale neighbourhood. Speaking to Uncut music magazine back in 2019, New Wave artist Gary Numan shared his eerie experiences: "I had a big neo-Georgian house on Wentworth golf course, but I was convinced it was haunted." He recounted some mysterious incidents, saying: "Some weird s*** had been going on – I'd come home and the house was in darkness when I was convinced I'd left the lights on." Numan also detailed a deliberate test he conducted: "So one day, I made a point of turning on every single light in the house. I got back from the studio and – f*** me – the house was in total darkness."
