Despite riding for three seasons on the Flat, William Stanley Briggs did not manage a single winner. He served his apprenticeship with William Jarvis (1952-1921), who was nearing the end of a distinguished training career at Newmarket.
Although his name was not included in the list of apprentices in the 1913 Racing Calendar, William did have one ride that year, at Newmarket on October 29, when unplaced on Timidity in the Apprentices’ Plate won by Percy Allden on Medley.
While no success came his way, he did finish second on his first ride of 1914 when his mount, Trident, was beaten three-quarters of a length by Sneezer, the mount of Harry Roden, in the Maiden (Apprentice) Three-Year-Old Plate at Newmarket on July 15. That was the closest he ever came to riding a winner.
Trident was again William’s first ride of 1915 – and also his last – when finishing down the field in the Apprentice Handicap at Newmarket on April 27, the race being won by Vivian Walmsley on Nenuphar.
