William Squire

William Squire

(1887-1964)

Article by Alan Trout

William Harold Squire rode four winners on the Flat in the early years of the 20th century, returning after World War I to add three more over jumps. 

Born in Cambridge on 13 October, 1887, he was the brother of Harry Noah Squire, who rode three winners in early 1918 before being killed in action. William, aged 77, died in Cambridge on 31 October, 1964.

William was apprenticed to Weston Goodwin and had his first ride on Paean, finishing third in the Marden Three-Year-Old Handicap at Newmarket on July 2, 1903, a race won by ‘Skeets’ Martin on Country Girl. 

It was at Salisbury on May 20 the following year that William opened his account when Stoic landed the historic City Bowl. Still held today, it is Salisbury’s oldest continuously run race, although its conditions have changed many times over the years. On the occasion that William won it on Stoic, the race was confined to apprentices. None of those who followed him home that day made much of an impression on the racing scene. Stoic had finished third in the Lincolnshire Handicap earlier in the season and, with William on board for the first time, they won by half a length. 

More than a year elapsed before William next visited the winner’s enclosure, but at Brighton on June 12, 1905 the three-year-old Chincherry landed the Egremont Plate. Chincherry’s owner, a Mr Goodwin, also owned the three-year-old filly Love Apple, William’s third winner when landing the Alfriston Plate back at Brighton on August 8. Starting the 20/1 outsider in a field of five, she had only had one previous start when unplaced, with William aboard, at Haydock Park the previous month.    

His last winner on the Flat came at Yarmouth on September 21 when an unnamed two-year-old filly by Enthusiast out of Orchardton came with a late run to overhaul the leaders and land the Gorleston Nursery Handicap. The winner was the 20/1 outsider of seven, having shown little in five previous starts, including at the same course the previous day. 

Although William held a Flat jockey’s licence until 1907 he did not add to his total. Instead, he was to re-emerge several years later under National Hunt rules. 

Riding the five-year-old Mountain Song, trained by Jack Jarvis, he finished second on his first ride over jumps, beaten three lengths by Reg Smith on Lavender Kis in the Doveridge Handicap at Uttoxeter on October 18, 1920. It was Mountain Song’s first start of the season, and they went one place better next time out when, sent off the 5/2 favourites, they took the ‘Pershore Plum’ Hurdle at that Worcestershire venue on November 8, beating Frank Dainty’s mount Louvetroi by three lengths. 

William had to wait more than two years for another success, but come it eventually did, at Derby on December 19, 1922, when Maxi had a length to spare over Billy Speck on Kusu Bay at the end of the Selling Three Years Old Hurdle. 

He had his final victory when Octabella’s Pride narrowly won the Four-Year-Old Handicap Hurdle at Manchester on February 3, 1923. It was only by a short head that they defeated Bilbie Rees on Lusiad. 

William had his final ride just ten days after that Manchester success when unplaced on Maxi in the Packington Four-Year-Old Handicap Hurdle at Birmingham.  

William Squire’s winners were, in chronological order:

1. Stoic, Salisbury, May 20, 1904

2. Chincherry, Brighton, June 12, 1905

3. Love Apple, Brighton, August 8, 1905

4. Unnamed filly by Enthusiast out of Orchardton, Yarmouth, September 21, 1905

5. Mountain Song, Pershore, November 8, 1920

6. Maxi, Derby, December 19, 1922

7. Octabella’s Pride, Manchester, February 3, 1923