William Evans
As the great American jockey Danny Maher swept past the post to take the 1905 Derby on the odds-on favourite Cicero few were aware of the tragedy playing out at the nearby Cottage Hospital.
As the great American jockey Danny Maher swept past the post to take the 1905 Derby on the odds-on favourite Cicero few were aware of the tragedy playing out at the nearby Cottage Hospital.
Less than an hour before the big race the very promising and popular apprentice William Evans, aged just 18, fell in the five-furlong Juvenile Plate. His mount, an unnamed filly out of Braw Lass, had fallen while in the lead and brought down by the Childhood filly, ridden by J. Murray. Evans was heavily thrown. According to witnesses, the second horse caught him and his own mount slid over his body. Although he regained some level of consciousness he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. J. Murray escaped uninjured.
Less than an hour before the big race the very promising and popular apprentice William Evans, aged just 18, fell in the five-furlong Juvenile Plate. His mount, an unnamed filly out of Braw Lass, had fallen while in the lead and brought down by the Childhood filly, ridden by J. Murray. Evans was heavily thrown. According to witnesses, the second horse caught him and his own mount slid over his body. Although he regained some level of consciousness he was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. J. Murray escaped uninjured.
At the inquest into Evans’ death, there was a lot said about the tan pathways that crossed the course. These were inspected and no defects were found. Also, the fall had taken place between pathways. However Evans’ boss and owner/trainer of the filly Sam Loates maintained that the paths were greasy after rain and that two of his horses had slipped on them, without falling, while being exercised on the course the previous evening. In Loates’ opinion, the horse’s action could have been affected by the path and caused it to fall further down the track. On the other hand, the foreman of the Downs said new tan had been put down and that they were not dangerous. In the end no blame was attached to the racecourse.
At the inquest into Evans’ death, there was a lot said about the tan pathways that crossed the course. These were inspected and no defects were found. Also, the fall had taken place between pathways. However Evans’ boss and owner/trainer of the filly Sam Loates maintained that the paths were greasy after rain and that two of his horses had slipped on them, without falling, while being exercised on the course the previous evening. In Loates’ opinion, the horse’s action could have been affected by the path and caused it to fall further down the track. On the other hand, the foreman of the Downs said new tan had been put down and that they were not dangerous. In the end no blame was attached to the racecourse.
William Garnet Evans was born in Knighton (where he used to be a choirboy), in Radnorshire, a former County of Wales, in October 1986. In 1901 he was at the Lordship stables in Newmarket. Despite his inexperience, Evans was already highly rated at the time of his death and popular both in the weighing room and with outside trainers. By far his biggest win came on board Ambition in the Jubilee Handicap at Kempton, a few weeks the fateful Derby Day, when he beat future champion jockey Billy Higgs in a driving finish to prevail by a head. Ambition was trained by top handler William Nightingall, a measure of Evans’ growing reputation.
William Garnet Evans was born in Knighton (where he used to be a choirboy), in Radnorshire, a former County of Wales, in October 1986. In 1901 he was at the Lordship stables in Newmarket. Despite his inexperience, Evans was already highly rated at the time of his death and popular both in the weighing room and with outside trainers. By far his biggest win came on board Ambition in the Jubilee Handicap at Kempton, a few weeks the fateful Derby Day, when he beat future champion jockey Billy Higgs in a driving finish to prevail by a head. Ambition was trained by top handler William Nightingall, a measure of Evans’ growing reputation.
It was reported that the jockey’s family had received a letter of sympathy and 200 gns from the King. But Evans’ father Charles, a master tailor, denied this.
It was reported that the jockey’s family had received a letter of sympathy and 200 gns from the King. But Evans’ father Charles, a master tailor, denied this.
William Evans was buried on June 4, 1905, in The Old Cemetery at Knighton, Powys. Visitors can see an impressive monument to the young man, apparently funded by his weighing room colleagues. The moving inscription says that the monument “stands as a token of love and esteem from his brother jockeys”.
William Evans was buried on June 4, 1905, in The Old Cemetery at Knighton, Powys. Visitors can see an impressive monument to the young man, apparently funded by his weighing room colleagues. The moving inscription says that the monument “stands as a token of love and esteem from his brother jockeys”.