Horse trainer and jockey Bill Turner dies after ‘freak accident’

Former jockey Bill Turner has died at the age of 78 following a “freak accident” earlier this week, his daughter has announced.

Turner, who was based in Sigwells in Somerset, reportedly fractured his skull in a fall on Monday. He was hospitalised but died earlier.

The horse trainer became synonymous with the Brocklesby Stakes at Doncaster, having won the traditional first race of the Flat turf season six times.

“The support from everyone in racing has been absolutely outstanding,” his daughter Kathy Turner said.

Ms Turner was told of her father’s death while travelling to Chepstow racecourse.

She told Sky Sports Racing: “We got the call in the lorry, I’d made the decision to come here, the horse [Red Snapper] was to run in dad’s name in his honour, whatever had happened he would have wanted that.

“He wasn’t just my dad and my sister’s dad and Ryan’s grandfather, he was everyone’s dad and the people who he has helped in their careers saw him as a dad.

“He would have preferred to have been going flat out up the gallops but unfortunately it was a freak accident.

“I still can’t get round that this injury has done this to him, as I’ve pulled him out from such serious injuries on the gallops.”

“Only last Sunday he was re-felting my sister’s salon roof,” she added.