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Article by Chris Pitt
Article by Chris Pitt
The eldest son in a family of 14 – six boys and eight girls – William ‘Willie’ McCaskill was born in Aberdeen on May 15, 1948. Being small and light, he decided to “have a go at racing”. On leaving school he joined Arthur Stephenson’s Leasingthorne, County Durham stable and was there put in charge of a decent three-mile chaser named Johnnie Walker.
The eldest son in a family of 14 – six boys and eight girls – William ‘Willie’ McCaskill was born in Aberdeen on May 15, 1948. Being small and light, he decided to “have a go at racing”. On leaving school he joined Arthur Stephenson’s Leasingthorne, County Durham stable and was there put in charge of a decent three-mile chaser named Johnnie Walker.
After six months at Stephenson’s yard, Willie became disillusioned with racing and took a milk round. However, the lure of the turf was still dominant and, after a spell of early morning delivery routine, he wrote to Captain Sir Cecil Boyd-Rochfort seeking employment.
After six months at Stephenson’s yard, Willie became disillusioned with racing and took a milk round. However, the lure of the turf was still dominant and, after a spell of early morning delivery routine, he wrote to Captain Sir Cecil Boyd-Rochfort seeking employment.
The Royal trainer replied saying that he had no vacancies on his Newmarket staff. But Willie persevered, and was eventually taken on by Freddie Maxwell at Lambourn.
The Royal trainer replied saying that he had no vacancies on his Newmarket staff. But Willie persevered, and was eventually taken on by Freddie Maxwell at Lambourn.
Seeking employment nearer home, he joined Denys Smith’s Bishop Auckland stable as soon as an opening became available.
Seeking employment nearer home, he joined Denys Smith’s Bishop Auckland stable as soon as an opening became available.
That proved a turning point, as he notched his initial success on his first mount in public, One Moment in a one-mile apprentices’ handicap at his local track Hamilton Park on May 20, 1967. He rode four more winners that year, including one for Malton handler Rufus Beasley on Silvery Arches at Teesside Park in October.
That proved a turning point, as he notched his initial success on his first mount in public, One Moment in a one-mile apprentices’ handicap at his local track Hamilton Park on May 20, 1967. He rode four more winners that year, including one for Malton handler Rufus Beasley on Silvery Arches at Teesside Park in October.
His number of winners soared to 25 in 1968 and 18 in 1969. The following year he rode 41, including five on the speedy juvenile Thief Lane, Carlisle’s Champion Apprentice Handicap on El Credo plus a high-profile victory in Redcar’s Zetland Gold Cup on Foggy Bell, all of them trained by Denys Smith. He just missed another big race success when Foggy Bell was beaten a head by Timon in the John Smith’s Magnet Cup at York.
His number of winners soared to 25 in 1968 and 18 in 1969. The following year he rode 41, including five on the speedy juvenile Thief Lane, Carlisle’s Champion Apprentice Handicap on El Credo plus a high-profile victory in Redcar’s Zetland Gold Cup on Foggy Bell, all of them trained by Denys Smith. He just missed another big race success when Foggy Bell was beaten a head by Timon in the John Smith’s Magnet Cup at York.
All that success meant that Willie rode out his claim midway through that 1970 campaign.
All that success meant that Willie rode out his claim midway through that 1970 campaign.
Even so, he managed a respectable tally of 18 winners in his first full season as a fully-fledged jockey in 1971. But that score was halved to just nine in 1972, leaving Willie to contemplate a change of direction.
Even so, he managed a respectable tally of 18 winners in his first full season as a fully-fledged jockey in 1971. But that score was halved to just nine in 1972, leaving Willie to contemplate a change of direction.
Having ridden 116 winners in Britain, he headed for Denmark, where he stayed for the next 12 years and achieved a fair amount of success at the country’s foremost track, Klampenborg.
Having ridden 116 winners in Britain, he headed for Denmark, where he stayed for the next 12 years and achieved a fair amount of success at the country’s foremost track, Klampenborg.
He was also successful further afield in Scandinavia, his big race winners including the 1974 Jagersro Sprint in Sweden on the ex-British trained Gruffyd.
He was also successful further afield in Scandinavia, his big race winners including the 1974 Jagersro Sprint in Sweden on the ex-British trained Gruffyd.
Willie’s dad was a hardworking storeman and rarely got the chance to go racing, nor did the rest of his family. Even so, two of his brothers followed him into racing.
Willie’s dad was a hardworking storeman and rarely got the chance to go racing, nor did the rest of his family. Even so, two of his brothers followed him into racing.
David McCaskill rode as an apprentice on the Flat but was nowhere near as successful as his elder sibling, riding just a couple of winners in 1974, while another brother, Charlie, also joined Denys Smith and rode winners both on the Flat and over jumps.
David McCaskill rode as an apprentice on the Flat but was nowhere near as successful as his elder sibling, riding just a couple of winners in 1974, while another brother, Charlie, also joined Denys Smith and rode winners both on the Flat and over jumps.
Big winners
Big winners
1969: Andy Capp Handicap – Good Apple
1969: Andy Capp Handicap – Good Apple
1969: William Hill Gold Cup – Foggy Bell
1969: William Hill Gold Cup – Foggy Bell
1969: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Pal’s Passage
1969: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Pal’s Passage
1970: Zetland Gold Cup – Foggy Bell
1970: Zetland Gold Cup – Foggy Bell
1971: Old Newton Cup – Wabash
1971: Old Newton Cup – Wabash
1974: Jagersro Sprint (Sweden) – Gruffyd
1974: Jagersro Sprint (Sweden) – Gruffyd
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