WILLIAM JARVIS enters the latest season on the back of a successful 2008 in which there was stakes’ success and a steady flow of winners.
The campaign saw the Phantom House trainer pass a notable landmark as he registered his 500th winner early in the year. If that was a notable achievement, the highlight was when Gravitation became the latest Jarvis-trained horse to triumph in Group company, taking the Lily Langtry Stakes at Glorious Goodwood.
The daughter of Galileo carried the distinctive apricot-coloured silks of the de Walden’s for whom William enjoyed notable success with the outstanding Grand Lodge. He landed the Dewhurst Stakes at two before emerging victorious from the St James’s Palace Stakes. In between, the son of Chief’s Crown was also a whisker away from Classic fame when going down by a short head in the 1994 renewal of the 2,000 Guineas.
Hopefully, those de Walden colours can find the winner’s enclosure once again in 2009 as Gravitation remains in training. Her fellow Phantom House-trained stakes’ winner from last season was Smokey Storm, who delighted his owning BK Partnership when scoring in the Woodcote Stakes at Epsom on Derby Day.
That was just another triumph at one of racing’s grandest stages for Jarvis, who has savoured Royal Ascot glory, a stack of Pattern race triumph and numerous victories in lucrative handicaps since taking out a licence to train in 1985. But it should come as little surprise that William has fared well in his chosen profession. His father Ryan Jarvis was a top-flight trainer for many years from the 1950s to the late 1970s, overseeing the careers of such fine horses as Lomond and Absalom, while William’s family are steeped in the fabric of Newmarket over the past 200 years.
William always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and graduated to the helm at Phantom House after honing his skills working for Henry Cecil as well enjoying a year-long stint in Australia with George Hanlon. Training in his own name, William has gone on to register a winner at every Flat track as well landing around 30 Group or Listed races with horses such as Sharpitor, Colmore Row and - more recently - La Persiana and Tobosa.
William remains eager for more success at all levels, while also seeking to provide his owners with a first-class service – and enjoyment.