William C. Marshall
Encyclopedia
William Cyril "Bill" Marshall DFC
SCM 14 August 1918 – 1 November 2005) was a Thoroughbred horse racing
trainer
and owner who had the distinction of being the only person to have saddled winners from stables on four different continents.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne
, Bill Marshall was raised on a farm near Chichester
where he developed his love of horses. In his early teens, he left home and made his way to Australia
where he worked as a jockey
for a short time before turning to training. While still only seventeen years old he headed to South Africa
where he operated his own stable for a few years until the outbreak of World War II
. Marshall returned to his native England
and joined the Royal Air Force
. As a pilot, he fought in the Battle of Britain
thence served with 253 squadron in North Africa
before returning to England to serve in the famous 91 'Nigeria' Squadron. By the time the war ended, Marshall had been shot down twice and was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross
as well as mentioned in dispatches
. Discharged from the military, Marshall remained in England and began training National Hunt horses then Thoroughbreds for flat racing
.
In 1972 a small plane carrying Marshall and his wife Pamela, along with jockey Joe Mercer
and racehorse-owner John Howard, crashed after taking off from Newbury Racecourse
. The pilot died in the crash but although they were seriously injured, Marshall and his wife and the other passengers survived.
In 1981, the sixty-three-old Marshall and his wife Pamela moved to Barbados where he would become one of the most important figures in that country's horse racing industry. Among his successes at Garrison Savannah Racetrack, Bill Marshall was a seven-time winner of the island's most prestigious race, the Barbados Gold Cup
and a nine-time winner of the Barbados Derby. In 1989 he conditioned Barbados Triple Crown
champion, Coo Bird, who would win more races in his career than any other Thoroughbred in Barbados horse racing history. In all, Marshall won twenty-two Barbadian Triple Crown races and earned champion trainer honors eleven times.
In 1994 "The Art and Science of Racehorse Training: the "Bill" Marshall Guide" by Michael W. Marshall was published by Keepdate Publishing, with an introduction by Jack Berry. In 2003, Bill Marshall's biography titled You Win Some, You Lose Some was published. That same year, the government of Barbados honored his contribution to horse racing with the Silver Crown of Merit.
Bill Marshall remained active in racing and was still winning at the time of his death in 2005 at the age of eighty-seven.
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
SCM 14 August 1918 – 1 November 2005) was a Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
and owner who had the distinction of being the only person to have saddled winners from stables on four different continents.
Born in Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, Bill Marshall was raised on a farm near Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
where he developed his love of horses. In his early teens, he left home and made his way to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
where he worked as a jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
for a short time before turning to training. While still only seventeen years old he headed to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
where he operated his own stable for a few years until the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Marshall returned to his native England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and joined the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. As a pilot, he fought in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
thence served with 253 squadron in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
before returning to England to serve in the famous 91 'Nigeria' Squadron. By the time the war ended, Marshall had been shot down twice and was the recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
as well as mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. Discharged from the military, Marshall remained in England and began training National Hunt horses then Thoroughbreds for flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
.
In 1972 a small plane carrying Marshall and his wife Pamela, along with jockey Joe Mercer
Joe Mercer (jockey)
Joseph Mercer is a retired English Thoroughbred race horse jockey. He was active as a jockey from 1947 to 1985 and rode a total of 2,810 winners in Britain, a figure exceeded only by Sir Gordon Richards, Lester Piggott and Doug Smith at the time of Mercer’s retirement, and subsequently only...
and racehorse-owner John Howard, crashed after taking off from Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse
Newbury Racecourse is a racecourse in the civil parish of Greenham, adjoining the town of Newbury in Berkshire, England. It has courses for flat races and over jumps...
. The pilot died in the crash but although they were seriously injured, Marshall and his wife and the other passengers survived.
In 1981, the sixty-three-old Marshall and his wife Pamela moved to Barbados where he would become one of the most important figures in that country's horse racing industry. Among his successes at Garrison Savannah Racetrack, Bill Marshall was a seven-time winner of the island's most prestigious race, the Barbados Gold Cup
Barbados Gold Cup
The Barbados Gold Cup is a Barbadian Group I Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late February/early March since 1982 at the Garrison Savannah Racetrack in Bridgetown, Barbados...
and a nine-time winner of the Barbados Derby. In 1989 he conditioned Barbados Triple Crown
Barbados Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Barbados Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing is a series of Thoroughbred horse races run annually at Garrison Savannah Racetrack near Bridgetown, Barbados.The Triple Crown series consists of races of increasing distance:...
champion, Coo Bird, who would win more races in his career than any other Thoroughbred in Barbados horse racing history. In all, Marshall won twenty-two Barbadian Triple Crown races and earned champion trainer honors eleven times.
In 1994 "The Art and Science of Racehorse Training: the "Bill" Marshall Guide" by Michael W. Marshall was published by Keepdate Publishing, with an introduction by Jack Berry. In 2003, Bill Marshall's biography titled You Win Some, You Lose Some was published. That same year, the government of Barbados honored his contribution to horse racing with the Silver Crown of Merit.
Bill Marshall remained active in racing and was still winning at the time of his death in 2005 at the age of eighty-seven.