William Harrison Gray, known as Snowy, rode for a few years on the Flat without success but fared better over jumps with eight wins.
Born on September 30, 1902, he served his apprenticeship with Captain Sir John Renwick, who trained at Whitewall, Malton. He finished third on his first ride in public, Royal Fancy, in the Apprentice Stakes at Edinburgh on September 27, 1922.
On April 9, 1923, Snowy married Vera Samson. They would have one son, Clifford. When his apprenticeship ended in February 1925, he joined trainer Captain Jim Storie, who trained at York Road, Beverley.
Although Snowy continued to have the occasional mount on the Flat after he lost his apprentice allowance, it was not until October 10, 1931, that he had his first ride over jumps, when Royal Spear was a faller in the Cherrytrees Handicap Hurdle at Kelso. The five-year-old then finished third at Southwell, before providing Snowy with his first winning ride when taking the Bickerton Handicap Hurdle at Wetherby on October 28, although the 31lb Royal Spear was receiving from the runner-up Red Dusk undoubtedly helped.
Snowy managed another seven wins, mostly on horses trained by Captain Storie. His last two came on Ravenfield over the Easter weekend in March 1937, at Carlisle on the Saturday, and in Wetherby’s Bilton Hurdle on Easter Monday. However, Snowy’s career as a jockey ended soon after when Ravenfield fell on his very next start in a handicap hurdle at Hexham on April 29, 1937.
He then served as assistant trainer to Captain Storie until December 1949, taking out a trainer’s licence in 1950 and succeeding Captain Storie at the York Road, Beverley yard, where he would remain throughout his training career.
Snowy’s career reached its peak in the 1960s when he trained several good horses and won a host of big races. Probably the best was Ballymarais, who, in 1965, won the Dante Stakes, finished seventh in both the Two Thousand Guineas and Derby, fourth in the Irish Derby, second in both the Gordon Stakes and Great Voltigeur Stakes, and fourth in the St Leger.
His best two-year-old colt was Chebs Lad, who won the Brocklesby, Champagne Stakes, Ripon’s Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy, and Ascot’s Hyperion Stakes. At three he won the Thirsk Classic Trial, then finished fifth in a vintage Two Thousand Guineas behind Sir Ivor, Petingo, Jimmy Reppin and So Blessed.
Snowy’s best two-year-old filly was Reet Lass, winner of the Molecomb Stakes and Lowther stakes in 1965. Other good horses included Lucky Brief (Dante Stakes, Watt Memorial Cup), Northern Deamon (Northern Goldsmith’s Handicap), and Border Bounty (Gordon Foster Handicap).
His eight wins as a jockey were, in chronological order:
1. Royal Spear, Wetherby, October 28, 1931
2. True Count, Bogside, April 15, 1932
3. Blighted, Bogside, April 7, 1933
4. Blighted, Hexham, April 26, 1933
5. High Signs, Hexham, June 3, 1933
6. Loch Verne, Hexham, October 11, 1933
7. Ravenfield, Carlisle, March 27, 1937
8. Ravenfield, Wetherby, March 29, 1937
His big race wins as a trainer included:
1962: City Handicap (Chester) – Lucky Brief
1962: Dante Stakes – Lucky Brief
1962: Scarborough Stakes – Lucky Brief
1963: Watt Memorial Cup (Beverley) – Lucky Brief
1965: Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Handicap – Ballymarais
1965: Dante Stakes – Ballymarais
1965: Northern Goldsmiths Handicap – Northern Deamon
1965: Molecomb Stakes – Reet Lass
1965: Lowther Stakes – Reet Lass
1967: Brocklesby Stakes – Chebs Lad
1967: Hyperion Stakes – Chebs Lad
1967: Ripon Champion Two-Year-Old Trophy – Chebs Lad
1967: Champagne Stakes – Chebs Lad
1968: Roseberry Stakes (Teesside Park) – Chebs Lad
1968: Thirsk Classic Trial – Chebs Lad
1968: Gordon Foster Handicap – Border Bounty