William Hook

William Hook

Article by Alan Trout

Born in 1901, William Hook rode three winners on the Flat and one over jumps in the early 1930s. 

On November 25, 1931, in what appears to have been his only mount of the season, he steered the three-year-old Apperley to victory in the Wroxton Plate at Warwick. Finishing second, beaten three-quarters of a length, was Latest Joke, ridden by champion jockey Gordon Richards, while a further three-quarters of a length back in third was Touareg, partnered by Steve Donoghue. To beat two of the greatest jockeys of the 20th century in your only ride of the year was quite an accomplishment. 

Just three days later, William made his debut under National Hunt rules when finishing unplaced on Tested in the Hampton Selling Handicap Hurdle at Kempton Park. It was at that same Sunbury course that he had his one and only win over jumps, on January 30, 1932, when Festum, the 20-1 rank outsider of nine runners, won the Staines Long Distance Hurdle by a short head from Guerrillero, the mount of Arthur Goswell.

Despite having more than a dozen rides over hurdles, William did not add to his score. He did, though, enjoy further success on the Flat, courtesy of Cap-a-Pie, trained, like both Apperley and Festum, by former jump jockey James Killalee, who landed the Bridge Selling Handicap Plate at Gatwick on September 22, 1932, defeating Bert Packham’s mount, the 6-4 on favourite Prargent, by half a length.  

Cap-a-Pie was also William’s fourth and last winner when taking the Sanding Selling Handicap Plate at Folkestone by two lengths on September 4, 1933. He had two more rides on the gallant Cap-a-Pie, who was by then nine years old, but they were unplaced both times. Although William held a licence for one more season, he could not manage another winner. 

William Hook’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Apperley, Warwick, November 25, 1931

2. Festum, Kempton Park, January 30, 1932

3. Cap-a-Pie, Gatwick, September 22, 1932

4. Cap-a-Pie, Folkestone, September 4, 1933