Paul Williams
Conditional jockey Paul Williams was only active for two or three seasons in the early 1990s and didn’t ride out his claim before being forced to retire. However, he achieved a notable victory over Aintree’s Grand National fences, the undoubted highlight of his career.
Conditional jockey Paul Williams was only active for two or three seasons in the early 1990s and didn’t ride out his claim before being forced to retire. However, he achieved a notable victory over Aintree’s Grand National fences, the undoubted highlight of his career.
Paul’s breakthrough campaign came in 1992/93, riding for Scottish trainer Sue Bradburne, who provided him with nine of his eleven winners that season. The first half of the campaign was relatively low-key, his wins including a Kelso novices’ chase on the evens favourite Charming Gale in October. However, the dawn of 1993 saw a marked improvement in his fortunes, starting with a double at Edinburgh on January 8, aboard handicap chasers Eastern Oasis and Sonsie Mo. Later that month, he won a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle on Willie Sparkle.
Paul’s breakthrough campaign came in 1992/93, riding for Scottish trainer Sue Bradburne, who provided him with nine of his eleven winners that season. The first half of the campaign was relatively low-key, his wins including a Kelso novices’ chase on the evens favourite Charming Gale in October. However, the dawn of 1993 saw a marked improvement in his fortunes, starting with a double at Edinburgh on January 8, aboard handicap chasers Eastern Oasis and Sonsie Mo. Later that month, he won a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle on Willie Sparkle.
He won on Charming Gale again at Carlisle at the end of March and rode another winner at the same venue on Easter Monday on Sue Bradburne’s novice chaser Forth And Tay, losing his 7lb claim in the process. He rode Willie Sparkle to another handicap hurdle victory at Ayr four days later, then the following week won the final of the Glengoyne Highland Malt Tamerosia Novices’ Chase Series on Forth And Tay. He rounded off the season by winning a conditional jockey’s handicap chase at Wetherby in May on Sonsie Mo.
He won on Charming Gale again at Carlisle at the end of March and rode another winner at the same venue on Easter Monday on Sue Bradburne’s novice chaser Forth And Tay, losing his 7lb claim in the process. He rode Willie Sparkle to another handicap hurdle victory at Ayr four days later, then the following week won the final of the Glengoyne Highland Malt Tamerosia Novices’ Chase Series on Forth And Tay. He rounded off the season by winning a conditional jockey’s handicap chase at Wetherby in May on Sonsie Mo.
Paul made a good start to the following season, 1993/94, winning on Charming Gale at Perth in August. On August Bank Holiday Monday he rode Sue Bradburne’s Absailor to win a minor claiming chase at Southwell. Next time out, they finished third in the Perthshire Challenge Cup in September, then in October they landed a four-runner chase at Carlisle.
Paul made a good start to the following season, 1993/94, winning on Charming Gale at Perth in August. On August Bank Holiday Monday he rode Sue Bradburne’s Absailor to win a minor claiming chase at Southwell. Next time out, they finished third in the Perthshire Challenge Cup in September, then in October they landed a four-runner chase at Carlisle.
Next stop for Paul and Absailor was Aintree on Saturday, November 20, 1993 for the John Parrett Memorial Handicap Chase, over two miles one-and-a-half furlongs of the Grand National course. The race started at the Grand National start and comprised one circuit of the course, with fourteen fences, finishing up the Grand National run-in, bypassing the Chair and water jump.
Next stop for Paul and Absailor was Aintree on Saturday, November 20, 1993 for the John Parrett Memorial Handicap Chase, over two miles one-and-a-half furlongs of the Grand National course. The race started at the Grand National start and comprised one circuit of the course, with fourteen fences, finishing up the Grand National run-in, bypassing the Chair and water jump.
Absailor was a 16-1 shot in the seven-horse line-up. It proved an eventful race. Mick Fitzgerald’s mount Little Tom fell at the first. Golden Freeze came down at Becher’s, while 25-1 outsider Bel Course jumped badly throughout and was tailed off when being pulled up at Valentines. That left four. The front-running grey Howe Street capsized two out, as did Ginger McCain’s runner Circulation. That left a weary Absailor clear of sole remaining rival Thats The Life, ridden by Simon McNeill. Absailor negotiated the last fence safely and, though tiring on the run-in, kept going sufficiently to beat the staying on Thats The Life by three lengths.
Absailor was a 16-1 shot in the seven-horse line-up. It proved an eventful race. Mick Fitzgerald’s mount Little Tom fell at the first. Golden Freeze came down at Becher’s, while 25-1 outsider Bel Course jumped badly throughout and was tailed off when being pulled up at Valentines. That left four. The front-running grey Howe Street capsized two out, as did Ginger McCain’s runner Circulation. That left a weary Absailor clear of sole remaining rival Thats The Life, ridden by Simon McNeill. Absailor negotiated the last fence safely and, though tiring on the run-in, kept going sufficiently to beat the staying on Thats The Life by three lengths.
Reunited with Sonsie Mo, Paul won a five-runner handicap chase at Edinburgh in December. He also rode winners that season for Malcolm Jefferson and John Wade and, with a score of 14 to his name, headed to Haydock on Bank Holiday, May 2, 1994.
Reunited with Sonsie Mo, Paul won a five-runner handicap chase at Edinburgh in December. He also rode winners that season for Malcolm Jefferson and John Wade and, with a score of 14 to his name, headed to Haydock on Bank Holiday, May 2, 1994.
The main event that day was the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, in which Declan Murphy took a horrible fall when his mount Arcot fell fatally at the last flight. One hour later, Paul Williams took a heavy fall from Malcolm Jefferson’s Irish Flasher in the Edge Green Claiming Hurdle.
The main event that day was the Swinton Handicap Hurdle, in which Declan Murphy took a horrible fall when his mount Arcot fell fatally at the last flight. One hour later, Paul Williams took a heavy fall from Malcolm Jefferson’s Irish Flasher in the Edge Green Claiming Hurdle.
The following day’s papers reported that Declan Murphy was seriously ill with a head injury. Comparatively little mention was made of Irish Flasher’s fall. Murphy went on to make a remarkable recovery from a near-death experience. What happened to Paul Williams and the extent of his injury is unclear, but it appears that it was sufficient to terminate his career in the saddle.
The following day’s papers reported that Declan Murphy was seriously ill with a head injury. Comparatively little mention was made of Irish Flasher’s fall. Murphy went on to make a remarkable recovery from a near-death experience. What happened to Paul Williams and the extent of his injury is unclear, but it appears that it was sufficient to terminate his career in the saddle.