Siblings will and Sam Twiston-Davies are jockeys that have
graduated from the pony racing circuit in fine style.
Sam as we speak on top form, heading the Stobart National
hunt jockey’s championship with 28 wins.
And his younger brother William who last week at Royal Ascot
took his first win at the royal meeting in the King George V Stakes on
Primitivo, riding for Alan King.
William or Will as he is more commonly known, freelance at
present with nine wins to his credit, is riding for more and more top trainers
as his reputation increases.
At the Windsor evening meeting riding Rock Steady for Roger
Charlton, finishing third in a close photo finish for second place.
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| Will in action on rock steady for Roger Charlton |
Starting off on the point to point circuit after pony racing,
Will was looking at following the family trade with the National Hunt game. But
soon found out that weights could be reached to ride on the flat, a game with
fewer tumbles and falls attached to the job.
The young jockey takes time out from a trip to the sauna and
the physio to reflect on his time with his ponies racing in the late nineties.
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| WILL TWISTON-DAVIES |
How did pony racing
help you when you first started, and how long did you pony race for?
W.T-D Working with
the ponies really helped me understand how to conduct myself on the racecourse
as well as beforehand.
Weighing in and out, talking to owners and stewards, it made
me aware there was much more than just getting on my pony and galloping around
a track.
Wearing silks and breeches with race riding boots correctly,
and how to look smart at the races.
When Riding we rode in proper race riding saddles which is
different to any other equipment we had at home, this all helped me have a
better understanding when i started race riding at first in Point to points.
I was always watching racing from a very early age, my
brother and I showing a great interest in the industry. Mum bough a couple of
ponies for Sam and myself to ride, and we were lucky enough that other people
allowed us to ride their ponies also.
Will and Sam riding in both point to point and racecourse series
races on their ponies, On the Run, Otterburn
Lady and Jessie’s Girl.
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| Sky Bet Top Price Every Favourite Handicap Windsor |
What do you take out
of pony racing to use in the yard and on the track?
W.T-D The main
thing I took out of pony racing was to know how to react and converse with
organizers and stewards in a correct and respectful manner.
The art of good and respectful communication is important,
not only at the races but also in a yard.
How to talk to Stewards and other jockeys at meetings.
How to communicate to trainers and owners, not only at the
races but also day to day in the yard.
This is all important if you want to get on and progress
Your whole family is
involved in horse racing, dad a trainer and Sam on of the top national hunt
jockeys riding for David Nicholson. Would it be fair for some to say you both
were destined to become top flight jockeys?
W.T-D Not really,
we have both had to work hard to be where we arenow.
We have been lucky
enough to have ridden nice ponies to get us noticed, but though mum and Dad are
proud of our achievements we have had to work for them.
I expect dad is
walking around the yard at home now feeling very proud, having one son on top
of the national hunt jockey’s standings and the other riding a winner at Royal
Ascot?
W.T-D Dad thinks
he is Galileo the top stallion at the moment, no he is very happy for both of
us doing so well in the careers we have chosen.
What advice would you
give to any young pony racing jockey, either about to embark in a new career in
racing from the ponies or just starting to think about taking up pony racing?
W.T-DTo watch as much
racing as you can, Study what the senior jockeys are doing, I watched racing
wherever and whenever i could, put it into practice on the ponies, and enjoyed
learning.
The hungrier you are in getting whatever you can out of your
elders and betters, the more you can fall back on that stored knowledge as your
career develops.
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| rock steady |
Both you and Sam rode the same ponies in races growing up. Was there ever any rivalry in getting the ponies you wanted to ride?
W.T-D Never, we
got on and supported each other then as well as we do know, our efforts went on
learning as much as we could and have fun at the same time
In one sentence how would you best describe pony racing?
Great fun and you learn so much from it to take the steps
you need to progress.
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| Will in action on rock steady finishes a close third |
Will Twiston- Davies, a young jockey destined for great
things as i see it he was a young lad that absorbed all that he could from pony
racing and those involved within the sport.
He had the added
bonus of having family support on and off the track, this showing in his
relationship with his brother Sam, not only on the pony racing circuit but has
progressed on to what they do now.
One of the things Will learnt and took away from his pony
racing days was how to conduct himself on and off the track. Talking to him you
can see his confidence, coming across as a calm, knowledgeable sort of person. Trainers,
owners as well as horses are going to pick up on this, and because of it will
be able to help him fulfil his goals.
With a few siblings riding in pony races at present, who
knows if they will follow in the Twiston-Davies brethren’s footsteps.
