Paul William D'Arcy was born on February 16, 1956, and his apprentice years were spent with G.Toft and Barry Hills.
He rode his first winner, Clem's Boy, at Pontefract on August 6, 1975 and was eventually retained by H.Thomson Jones, D.Ringer and K.Bridgewater.
On December 28, 1983, he married Susan Vergette; she gave him a son, Michael Paul.
On Tuesday, August 19, 1986, Paul fractured an elbow and injured a knee when his mount, Able Abbe, slipped up in the first race at Folkestone. He was out of action for six weeks.
He was in the wars again in November 1990 when breaking his ankle in a hunting accident. The (then) 34-year-old was riding with the Puckeridge and Thurlow Hunt when his mount reared up, throwing him from the saddle.
Paul turned to training in the mid-nineties with modest success.
Biggest wins
1978: Goodwood Stakes – Nicolaus Grey
1979: Northern Goldsmith’s Handicap –Sabir
