William Clay Sr.

c1828 -1910

William Clay was born at the Royal Oak Hotel, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire in 1828.

Aged 12, he went to Newmarket where he rode as a light-weight jockey to Admiral Rous, Lord Stradbook and Alderman Copeland. He rode Orlando in its preparation for the 1844 Derby. (Orlando, ridden by Nat Flatman, was awarded the race on the disqualification of Running Rein.)

William was the regular partner of Mr Egerton’s celebrated horse St Aubyn, winner of the Great Metropolitan Steeplechase. At Croydon, riding Verity, he won two United Kingdom Steeplechases. In 1846, riding Lord Stradbrook’s horse, Lynceous, carrying 6st. 13lbs., he won Brighton’s Queen’s Plate. On one occasion at Hastings Races, he rode every winner of the afternoon. He repeated the feat at Bullock Down, riding every winner with the exception of the Farmers’ race for which he was not qualified to take part in.

William married a niece of champion trainer John Scott (who sent out 16 St Leger winners and 9 Derby winners). They had 13 children, at least three of whom became jockeys. Arguably the most talented was William Jr, who rode 35 winners before losing his life in a race fall at Reading when aged 18. Another, Thomas, died at Jevington following a racing accident in late August 1880, aged just 20. The youngest son, John Scott Clay, rode over jumps in France. He died in Jevington in February 1962 at the grand old age of 88.

In 1861, following a short stint at Worthing, William went to Eastbourne to train General Peel’s horses, first at Holywell Lodge, Meads, then at Meads House.

He moved for the final time in 1865, going to Jevington, where, with his brother Thomas,  he built a large training establishment from which he sent out many winners over the next 45 years.  Sadly, Thomas died there on December 13, 1872, aged 48. 

It was at Jevington that Euclid was prepared for the Jubilee and Lincoln Handicap. William also won 44 races with his two useful hunters, Cavaliero and Exning. He trained hundreds of winners at the smaller courses - Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne, Wye - and his Fitz-Ivan came second in the 1867 City & Suburban.

Ten years before his death, he retired to Eastbourne before spending the last few months of his life in Polegate. 

Aged 81, William Clay succumbed to pneumonia at 5.15 a.m. on Saturday, November 5, 1910. His body was interred in the family vault at Jevington Church on Thursday, November 10, after school children had sung 'O God our help in ages past’