Russell Williams

Russell Williams

Graham Russell Williams, known by his second name, was born in Oswestry and District Hospital, Shropshire on 16th June 1957. His aunt bought him his first pony when he was seven, but he was already in love with horses and racing by then. All his family loved horse racing, but Russell was the first to become a jockey. 

He started a Saturday job working at Lowther Barratt’s stables at Bromwich Park, Maesbury, near Oswestry when he was 14 years old. He was allowed to leave school early, just before his 16th birthday, and was granted an apprentice license. 

He had his first ride on 8th October 1973 at Wolverhampton on 25-1 shot Dunboy in division 2 of the five-furlong Sedgley All-Aged Stakes, a race for two- and three-year-olds. They finished sixth of the eleven runners, the winner being Princely Boy, the 7-4 on favourite, owned by radio and TV retail magnate David Robisnon, trained by Michael Jarvis at Newmarket and ridden by Bruce Raymond.  

Russell recalls: “I remember my first race ride very well. I was really nervous. I asked Lowther Barratt what his instructions were. He said to just go out and win!

“Greville Starkey was in the weighing room and piled on the pressure by telling me that he’d ridden the horse in his previous race, and that I’d never be able to hold one side of him once he got on the track. I was doubly nervous but DID hold him and didn’t look back!”

“When I first started on the Flat I rode as Russell Williams, but later I had to ride as G. R. Williams because there was another R. Williams riding at the same time. My first name is Graham, but I always go by Russell.”

He rode on the Flat until growing too tall and heavy, then graduated to riding under National Hunt Rules. There, the identity factor was further confused by the fact that there was also a G.A.R. (Graham Albert Richard) Williams riding at the time.

Having served his apprenticeship at Lowther Batrrett’s, Russell moved on to ride for Arthur Jones at Pentre David, Hengoed, and held a National Hint licence. He had two of his early rides over jumps for Arthur Jones, both unplaced, on handicap hurdlers Saints Day at Haydock Park on 2nd December 1976, and Miss Dike at Bangor-on-Dee on 26th March 1977. 

He was then approached by Lowther Barratt to return as head lad and stable jockey, and it was for him that he rode his first winner, Whistlers Boy, in the Grange Selling Handicap Hurdle on Bank Holiday Monday, 29th May 1978. They had finished second, at 33-1, just four days earlier in a similar contest at Ludlow. 

They followed up in the opening week of the new season when landing Pontypridd Selling Handicap Hurdle at Worcester on Saturday, 5th August. Later that month he twice finished third on another of Lowther Barrett’s horses, Delarum, at Bangor-on-Dee and Hereford. 

He retired from race-riding in the early 1980s following a series of injuries but remained as head lad and riding work for Lowther Barrett until he (Barrett) retired and relinquished his training licence.

Russell left the world of racing behind and spent a short time working at a warehouse. He then pursued a career in gardening, even winning a gold medal for plant displays in an “in bloom” event.

He had met his future wife, Sue, at a local disco in 1976. They were married in 1979 and have a daughter, Hayley, a son, Jonathan, a granddaughter and two grandsons.

Now semi-retired and living in Chirk, near Wrexham, Russell splits his time between being the sole gardener at a local country estate, going racing and attending Racing Welfare events where he meets up with friends old and new from the racing world.