William Palmer

William Palmer

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1876, William Henry Palmer was one of the first National Hunt jockeys who started their career as an amateur before turning professional. He had one win in the unpaid ranks in 1897, five in 1898 as a professional, then, following a gap, a further 25 victories between 1903 and 1908. 

His first win was unexpected. On March 16, 1897, he rode a horse named Tribute in a match for a maiden National Hunt flat race at Derby. His opponent, Keelson, ridden by the top amateur Jock Fergusson, won by eight lengths at 100/6 on but was then disqualified for carrying the wrong weight, with the winner’s prize going to Tribute. It was one of five races the four-year-old Tribute won that year (one other on a disqualification) before he was sent to continue his career in Germany, but that was the only occasion on which William rode him. 

His first victory as a professional was at Sandown Park on February 11, 1898, when steering Pigeon Pie home in the Selling Handicap Chase, beating Free Flight, the mount of top jockey Bill Dollery, by a length. 

Following four more wins in 1898, William did not renew his licence for some time but returned to land the Esher Handicap Hurdle at Hurst Park on February 6, 1903, aboard Teuton, beating 15 rivals. 

He rode eight winners in 1904, including two on the same day on the seven-year-old Jam Jar at Chelmsford on April 13, landing a selling hurdle and a selling chase, the latter by 30 lengths. 

Although he never bettered that score, he had a double at Bungay and four wins on the hurdler Morocco Bound, those twice being achieved on successive days at Maiden Erlegh and Aldershot. He also finished first on Pirate Prince at Folkestone on April 15, 1907, but was disqualified on grounds of foul riding and was cautioned by the stewards of the National Hunt Committee as to his future riding. 

He had his final success at Sandown Park on March 5, 1908, when his mount Postscript landed the Selling Handicap Chase, beating Bower, ridden by Paddy Cowley, who was then on his way to claiming his only champion jockey title, by two lengths. 

Postscript was also William’s final ride when finishing fourth in the Criterion Handicap Chase, also at Sandown Park, on May 2, 1908.