Born at Ayr in 1907, William (Willie) Christie was apprenticed to the local trainer John McGuigan. Small, even by a jockey’s standards, he rode his first winner on Music Star at Bogside on April 4, 1925.
In 1932 he won the Lincolnshire Handicap on 40/1 chance Jerome Fandor, in a (then) record field of 36 runners.
In September 1934 he won the 1m 3f Lanarkshire Handicap at the Royal Caledonian Hunt meeting at Hamilton Park on the McGuigan-trained Timbuc, then won on him again in the Motherwell Handicap over the same course and distance in July 1935.
Willie rode three winners on the first day of Pontefract’s April fixture in 1935 but enjoyed his best season in 1936 with 45 winners. They included two of Manchester’s feature races, namely the Royal Standard Stakes on Multissimo and the Prince Edward Handicap on Winter Worker. He also won that year’s Carlisle Bell on Wardley.
He rode abroad during the winters for several seasons. His annual scores dwindled to single figures after the war, although his natural light weight ensured his services were in regular demand.
In 1950 he won the Stockton Spring Handicap on Negresco, one of just four winners that season. Negresco also provided Willie with the final winner of his career when winning a one-mile selling handicap at Hamilton Park on May 25, 1953.
His son, Robin, also became a jockey and rode his first winner on just his second ride in public aboard No Bidders at Bogside on June 8, 1963.
Biggest wins
1932: Lincolnshire Handicap – Jerome Fandor
1936: Prince Edward Handicap – Winter Worker
1936: Carlisle Bell – Wardley
1946: Carlisle Bell – Clever Lad
1949: Cumberland Plate – Green Castle
1949: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Tudor Emblem
Willie rode three winners on Wednesday 24 April 1935 at Pontefract.
