William Donnelly
1874 - 1933
1874 - 1933
South-west based National Hunt jockey William J. Donnelly was born in 1874 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire and served his apprenticeship with Thomas Sherwood. He rode a total of 103 winners over jumps in the years leading up to the Great War and completed the course on his sole attempt in the Grand National.
South-west based National Hunt jockey William J. Donnelly was born in 1874 in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire and served his apprenticeship with Thomas Sherwood. He rode a total of 103 winners over jumps in the years leading up to the Great War and completed the course on his sole attempt in the Grand National.
William had his first ride in public at Sandown Park on December 14, 1896, finishing second on a horse named Briarwood in the Selling Handicap Chase. His first winner came three months later, on March 3, 1897, aboard Ardcairn, the 10-1 outsider of seven runners, in the Slough Handicap Chase at Windsor.
William had his first ride in public at Sandown Park on December 14, 1896, finishing second on a horse named Briarwood in the Selling Handicap Chase. His first winner came three months later, on March 3, 1897, aboard Ardcairn, the 10-1 outsider of seven runners, in the Slough Handicap Chase at Windsor.
He achieved his most important success when winning the 1904 Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase on 10-1 shot Carson, owned by Mr Roland Cave-Brown-Cave. The following year, William had his only ride in the Grand National, on 100-1 outsider Band Of Hope, belying their long odds by finishing a respectable sixth behind the Welsh-trained winner Kirkland.
He achieved his most important success when winning the 1904 Cheltenham Grand Annual Chase on 10-1 shot Carson, owned by Mr Roland Cave-Brown-Cave. The following year, William had his only ride in the Grand National, on 100-1 outsider Band Of Hope, belying their long odds by finishing a respectable sixth behind the Welsh-trained winner Kirkland.
However, it was at the south-west meetings that William achieved most of his success. He was a leading rider at Newton Abbot and at the annual two-day Easter fixture at Torquay, along with those other long defunct Devon venues at Plymouth, South Brent Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
However, it was at the south-west meetings that William achieved most of his success. He was a leading rider at Newton Abbot and at the annual two-day Easter fixture at Torquay, along with those other long defunct Devon venues at Plymouth, South Brent Totnes and Buckfastleigh.
By far his most successful association was with a horse named Aeolus, on whom he won no less than 19 races, twelve over hurdles and seven over fences. Aeolus won at least one race every year from 1907 to 1914 and was a great favourite around the Devon tracks. Foaled in 1903, Aeolus had registered his first success in 1907 in the hands of Ernie Driscoll but, thereafter, William was on board for all but one of the horse’s wins, which included four in a row during the summer of 1909. They were mostly minor contests with small fields, the most valuable being the Coronation Cup Chase at Plymouth, worth £87 to the winner, but William and Aeolus were a popular combination.
By far his most successful association was with a horse named Aeolus, on whom he won no less than 19 races, twelve over hurdles and seven over fences. Aeolus won at least one race every year from 1907 to 1914 and was a great favourite around the Devon tracks. Foaled in 1903, Aeolus had registered his first success in 1907 in the hands of Ernie Driscoll but, thereafter, William was on board for all but one of the horse’s wins, which included four in a row during the summer of 1909. They were mostly minor contests with small fields, the most valuable being the Coronation Cup Chase at Plymouth, worth £87 to the winner, but William and Aeolus were a popular combination.
Appropriately, William’s last winning ride was on Aeolus. It was also his easiest, the horse being gifted a walkover for the two-mile Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase on June 1, 1914.
Appropriately, William’s last winning ride was on Aeolus. It was also his easiest, the horse being gifted a walkover for the two-mile Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase on June 1, 1914.
His wins on Aeolus were, in chronological order:
His wins on Aeolus were, in chronological order:
1. August 3, 1908, Newton Abbot, Stover Handicap Hurdle
1. August 3, 1908, Newton Abbot, Stover Handicap Hurdle
2. August 27, 1908, Devon & Exeter, Powderham Handicap Hurdle
2. August 27, 1908, Devon & Exeter, Powderham Handicap Hurdle
3. September 2, 1908, Totnes & Bridgetown, Tradesmen’s Handicap Hurdle
3. September 2, 1908, Totnes & Bridgetown, Tradesmen’s Handicap Hurdle
4. September 30, 1908, Newton Abbot, Brookside Handicap Hurdle
4. September 30, 1908, Newton Abbot, Brookside Handicap Hurdle
5. May 31, 1909, Buckfastleigh, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
5. May 31, 1909, Buckfastleigh, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
6. June 2, 1909, South Brent, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
6. June 2, 1909, South Brent, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
7. August 2, 1909, Newton Abbot, Moderate Hurdle
7. August 2, 1909, Newton Abbot, Moderate Hurdle
8. August 3, 1909, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
8. August 3, 1909, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
9. August 2, 1910, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
9. August 2, 1910, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
10. June 5, 1911, Buckfastleigh, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
10. June 5, 1911, Buckfastleigh, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
11. June 6, 1911, South Brent, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
11. June 6, 1911, South Brent, South Devon Handicap Hurdle
12. August 8, 1911, Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
12. August 8, 1911, Newton Abbot, Kingsteignton Handicap Hurdle
13. September 7, 1911, Plymouth, Coronation Cup Chase
13. September 7, 1911, Plymouth, Coronation Cup Chase
14. April 8, 1912, Torquay, West of England Handicap Chase
14. April 8, 1912, Torquay, West of England Handicap Chase
15. April 9, 1912, Torquay, Petit Tor Chase
15. April 9, 1912, Torquay, Petit Tor Chase
16. May 25, 1912, South Brent, Dartmoor Handicap Chase
16. May 25, 1912, South Brent, Dartmoor Handicap Chase
17. March 24, 1913, Torquay, West of England Handicap Chase
17. March 24, 1913, Torquay, West of England Handicap Chase
18. May 12, 1913, Buckfastleigh, Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase
18. May 12, 1913, Buckfastleigh, Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase
19. June 1, 1914, Buckfastleigh, Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase
19. June 1, 1914, Buckfastleigh, Buckfastleigh Open Handicap Chase
Aeolus also gave him his last rides on successive days at Torquay’s 1915 Easter meeting, finishing unplaced in the Selling Handicap Chase on Easter Monday and last of three runners in the Plodders’ Selling Handicap Chase on Tuesday, April 6, 1915. They were also the final two races in the lengthy career of Aeolus. They retired together. By then, the Great War had broken out. It would be three long, hard years before racing took place again in Devon.
Aeolus also gave him his last rides on successive days at Torquay’s 1915 Easter meeting, finishing unplaced in the Selling Handicap Chase on Easter Monday and last of three runners in the Plodders’ Selling Handicap Chase on Tuesday, April 6, 1915. They were also the final two races in the lengthy career of Aeolus. They retired together. By then, the Great War had broken out. It would be three long, hard years before racing took place again in Devon.
William had spent much of his career riding for the owner Mr A. Simpson. After quitting the saddle and surviving the War, he became Simpson’s private trainer. He died in 1933.
William had spent much of his career riding for the owner Mr A. Simpson. After quitting the saddle and surviving the War, he became Simpson’s private trainer. He died in 1933.