William Wheatley (1786-1848) was a
British Classic winning
jockey
A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...
of the early 19th century. His father was the 1795
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
-winning jockey,
Anthony Wheatley.
He was, according to the Sporting Magazine of 1831, "one of the best jockeys in England." He was particularly known for creeping up slowly during a race to win unexpectedly. This was shown to memorable effect in the 1831 Derby. Wheatley was booked to ride
50/1 outsider,
Spaniel, a horse known for only possessing one steady pace. The race principals ran together in a tactical battle and appeared to have forgotten about Wheatley on the unfancied Spaniel, who racing at his customary pace, "came up with perfect ease...
ndwon in a most triumphant style". Wheatley's ride was deemed "a splendid performance." Despite this, Spaniel has gone down in history as possibly the worst ever Derby winner.
[ He was also known for having an untainted character, and in Spaniel's Derby he had had a £25 bet at odds of 40/1 on his mount winning, only to cancel it at the last minute, thereby missing out on £1000.][
Wheatley rode the Derby winner Mameluke in some of his best races (although not the Derby itself). One of his most noted rides was in the "ever-memorable" ]Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 ...
when he rode Mameluke against Zinganee, ridden by Sam Chifney, Jr.
His principal patron was Lord Lowther.
William Wheatley lived up to the 1840s at Newmarket where his father and family had settled but died at Kingsland, then a small settlement in Middlesex but now part of Hackney, in February 1848 aged about 62.
Major wins
Classic races
Great Britain
* 2,000 Guineas
The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...
– (3) – ''Manfred (1817), Nicolo (1823), Schahriar (1824)''
* Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey o ...
– (2) – '' Prince Leopold (1816), Spaniel (1831)''
Selected other races
* Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4,014 ...
- ''Marcellus (1823)''
References
Bibliography
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British jockeys
1848 deaths
1786 births
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