Meet the trainer

HAVING held a licence for nearly 30 years, William is proud to be one of Newmarket’s longest serving trainers. He is also one of the most successful with his Phantom House Stables a regular source of winners year in year out.

William will forever be remembered for his expert handling of champion Grand Lodge. Lord Howard de Walden’s charge landed the Dewhurst Stakes at two before emerging victorious in the St James’s Palace Stakes the following year. 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.  Those famous ‘apricot’ colours were also carried by Gravitation, who won the Group Three Lillie Langtree Stakes at Glorious Goodwood in 2008. That same year William passed a notable landmark as he registered his 500th winner.

William has savoured Royal Ascot glory, a stack of Pattern race triumphs and numerous victories in lucrative handicaps since taking out a licence to train in 1985. He is also among only a small handful of trainers who have saddled a winner at every British racecourse and has recorded over 30 Group/ Listed winners with the likes of Sharpitor, Colmore Row and – more recently – La Persiana and Tobosa.

A ‘star’ has been hard to come by in recent seasons but the team have enjoyed success with the likes of top handicappers Diverting, Qushchi, Rock A Doodle Doo, Oriental Scot and Beaufort Twelve.

In 2013, progressive young stayer Argent Knight won three out of eight starts including handicaps at Newmarket and Sandown. He remains in training and is one to look forward to for 2014.

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 Sir Henry Cecil as well enjoying a year-long stint in Australia with George Hanlon.

William remains eager for more success at all levels, while also seeking to provide his owners with a first-class service and enjoyment.