Bill Morris
Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
William Granville (Bill) Morris was born on February 12, 1935 and became a jockey comparatively late in life, being over 30 when first taking out a National Hunt licence in 1966. He rode for five seasons and accumulated 17 winners.
William Granville (Bill) Morris was born on February 12, 1935 and became a jockey comparatively late in life, being over 30 when first taking out a National Hunt licence in 1966. He rode for five seasons and accumulated 17 winners.
He rode his first winner on Pike’s Fancy for Llandevand, near Newport, permit holder Mostyn Lawrence in a Windsor handicap hurdle on Friday, January 27, 1967. He won again on Pike’s Fancy at Chepstow the following month.
He rode his first winner on Pike’s Fancy for Llandevand, near Newport, permit holder Mostyn Lawrence in a Windsor handicap hurdle on Friday, January 27, 1967. He won again on Pike’s Fancy at Chepstow the following month.
Bill lived in Chaddesley Corbett, midway between Bromsgrove and Kidderminster, and rode most of his winners for the village’s two trainers, Martin Tate and Frank Yardley, all of them over hurdles. They were spread far and wide – in the space of four weeks in 1969 he rode winners at Newton Abbot and Perth.
Bill lived in Chaddesley Corbett, midway between Bromsgrove and Kidderminster, and rode most of his winners for the village’s two trainers, Martin Tate and Frank Yardley, all of them over hurdles. They were spread far and wide – in the space of four weeks in 1969 he rode winners at Newton Abbot and Perth.
Bill’s final winner was on Frank Yardley’s selling hurdler Rabra at Southwell on Saturday, April 10, 1971. He had his last ride on the final day of that season, finishing seventh on Yardley’s Cool Breeze, an old favourite on whom he’d won four times, at Stratford on Saturday, June 5, 1971.
Bill’s final winner was on Frank Yardley’s selling hurdler Rabra at Southwell on Saturday, April 10, 1971. He had his last ride on the final day of that season, finishing seventh on Yardley’s Cool Breeze, an old favourite on whom he’d won four times, at Stratford on Saturday, June 5, 1971.
His son, Billy Morris, followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a jockey and was more successful in terms of winners, his biggest success coming on 50/1 outsider Mac’s Gift, trained by Luther Bridge, in the Daily Express Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in December 1983. Billy married Candy Moore, who rode both on the Flat and over jumps and is the sister of jockey turned trainer Gary Moore, father of jockeys Ryan, Jamie and Josh Moore.
His son, Billy Morris, followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a jockey and was more successful in terms of winners, his biggest success coming on 50/1 outsider Mac’s Gift, trained by Luther Bridge, in the Daily Express Triumph Hurdle Trial at Cheltenham in December 1983. Billy married Candy Moore, who rode both on the Flat and over jumps and is the sister of jockey turned trainer Gary Moore, father of jockeys Ryan, Jamie and Josh Moore.
Bill Morris’s winners were, in chronological order:
Bill Morris’s winners were, in chronological order:
1. Pike’s Fancy, Windsor, January 27, 1967
1. Pike’s Fancy, Windsor, January 27, 1967
2. Pike’s Fancy, Chepstow, February 25, 1967
2. Pike’s Fancy, Chepstow, February 25, 1967
3. Cool Breeze, Worcester, March 13, 1967
3. Cool Breeze, Worcester, March 13, 1967
4. Now And Again, Towcester, May 29, 1967
4. Now And Again, Towcester, May 29, 1967
5. Cool Breeze, Southwell, April 13, 1968
5. Cool Breeze, Southwell, April 13, 1968
6. Dervish, Worcester, May 18, 1968
6. Dervish, Worcester, May 18, 1968
7. Saucy Pet, Newton Abbot, September 3, 1968
7. Saucy Pet, Newton Abbot, September 3, 1968
8. Arctic Sunrise, Newton Abbot, September 14, 1968
8. Arctic Sunrise, Newton Abbot, September 14, 1968
9. Arctic Sunrise, Taunton, October 19, 1968
9. Arctic Sunrise, Taunton, October 19, 1968
10. Precinct, Hereford, April 25, 1969
10. Precinct, Hereford, April 25, 1969
11. Kalyan, Devon & Exeter, August 6, 1969
11. Kalyan, Devon & Exeter, August 6, 1969
12. Kalyan, Newton Abbot, August 27, 1969
12. Kalyan, Newton Abbot, August 27, 1969
13. Cool Breeze, Perth, September 24, 1969
13. Cool Breeze, Perth, September 24, 1969
14. Cool Breeze, Southwell, December 6, 1969
14. Cool Breeze, Southwell, December 6, 1969
15. The Roamer, Stratford-on-Avon, September 5, 1970
15. The Roamer, Stratford-on-Avon, September 5, 1970
16. The Roamer, Uttoxeter, December 17, 1970
16. The Roamer, Uttoxeter, December 17, 1970
17. Rabra, Southwell, April 10, 1971
17. Rabra, Southwell, April 10, 1971