William Higgs (jockey)

William Arnold "Billy" Higgs (1880–1958) was a British Thoroughbred horse racing jockey, trainer, owner and breeder, colloquially referred to as "Farmer Higgs".[1][2] He was twice Champion Jockey of Britain.

For other people named William Higgs, see William Higgs.

William Higgs
Caricature of William Higgs from Vanity Fair, 21 November 1906
OccupationJockey
Born1880
Died1958
Major racing wins
British Classic Race wins as jockey:
2000 Guineas (1907)
Racing awards
British flat racing Champion Jockey twice (1906, 1907)
Significant horses
Slieve Gallion, Willonyx

Career

For the most successful period of his career, he was stable jockey to Sam Darling at Beckhampton, Wiltshire. With Darling, he won the 1906 and 1907 flat jockeys' championship, and picked up his only British Classic: the 1907 2,000 Guineas on Slieve Gallion. He was a short-priced favourite to follow up in the Derby, but the colt did not stay the distance and eventually finished third.[1] In 1907, he finished with 146 winners from 732 rides, a near 20% strike rate.[3]

In 1911 he scored a succession of top-class victories on Darling's stayer, Willonyx, winning the Chester Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Jockey Club Cup and Cesarewitch.[1] He also won the 1913 Doncaster Cup on Long Set.

Higgs later became a trainer and developed Blacklands Stud near Calne in Wiltshire, on a farm which he had bought in 1909; in 1928 he sold the business to Fred Darling, Sam's son.[4]

In 1999, he was ranked the 28th greatest flat jockey of the 20th century by the Racing Post.[5]

Major wins

United Kingdom Great Britain

Classic Races

Selected other races

References
  1. "Higgs, William Arnold (1880–1958)". National Horseracing Museum. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020 – via Internet Archive.
  2. "Captain X" [Pseud.] (23 September 1944). "English Cavalcade VII: Knights of the Pigskin". Auckland Star. Auckland, New Zealand. p. 4. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  3. "Sport And Pastime. The Turf". Auckland Star. Auckland, New Zealand. 11 January 1908. p. 14. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
  4. Crowley, D. A., ed. (2002). "Blackland". A History of the County of Wiltshire, Volume 17. Victoria County History. University of London. pp. 17–27. Retrieved 25 March 2022 – via British History Online.
  5. "Richards is in a class of his own; A century of racing – 50 greatest flat jockeys". The Racing Post. 17 May 1999. Retrieved 23 April 2013.


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