William Denby

William Denby

1870 - 1940

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1870, William George Denby rode nine winners under National Hunt rules between 1895 and 1902. His first victory came on the last day of 1895 when partnering Lord William to win the Wentworth Handicap Chase at Hurst Park, beating Shootaway, the mount of champion jockey Billy Halsey, ‘in a canter’ by 12 lengths. 

Before achieving his second success, William had the mount on 100-1 outsider Ballyohara, owned by Lord Shrewsbury, in the 1897 Grand National. Usually ridden by George Williamson, Ballyohara was pulled up, victory going to the great Manifesto. However, William did finish second on Ballyohara next time out in a good three-mile handicap chase at Manchester. 

From then on, he had the occasional win, though never more than two in a calendar year. The chaser Benita provided him with three of his last four wins, including back-to-back renewals of the three-mile Earsham Handicap Chase at Bungay in 1901 and 1902.

William’s final success came on Calla in the Windsor Selling Chase at Hawthorn Hill on November 7, 1902, his mount being the only one of three starters not to fall. He did not take out a licence the following year. 

William died in 1940.

William Denby’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Lord William, Hurst Park, December 31, 1895 

2. Torfrida II, Aldershot, May 11, 1898

3. Buffalo, Folkestone, October 27, 1898

4. Ben Ellam, Kempton Park, February 3, 1899

5. Leach-Macha, East Sussex Hunt, April 5, 1899

6. Benita, Bungay, April 23, 1901

7. Benita, Newton Abbot, August 6, 1901

8. Benita, Bungay, April 22, 1902

9. Calla, Hawthorn Hill, November 7, 1902