# Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Day, William

​DAY, WILLIAM [HENRY] (1823–1908), trainer and breeder of racehorses, born on 9 Aug. 1823 at Danebury, Hampshire, was younger son of John Barham Day by an Irish lady whose surname was Goddard. His father, known as 'Honest John,' founded the famous Danebury racing stable, where he had for patrons the duke of Grafton, Lord George Bentinck, and Lord Palmerston, among many others. His grandfather, John Day of Houghton Down Farm, Stockbridge, was racing adviser to the Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV, and acquired the reputation of being able to drink two more bottles of wine than any of his companions. He was the 'Gloomy Day' of Deighton's caricature, made on the Steyne at Brighton in 1801. William was educated privately with his cousin, the Rev. Russell Day, afterwards a master at Eton, by his uncle, Henry Thomas Day, LL.D., rector of Mendlesham, Suffolk. Entering his father's stable at Danebury, he acquired some fame as a jockey, and rode Lord George Bentinck's horse, Grey Momus, when it won the Ascot Cup. His eldest brother, John, was to succeed the father at Danebury; consequently William started training at Woodyates, by Cranborne Chase, Dorset. There on the splendid downs he trained many good winners, including Mr. James Merry's Lord of the Isles and his own Promised Land, who carried off the Two Thousand Guineas in 1855 and 1859 respectively; Sir F. Johnstone's Brigantine, who won the Oaks and the Ascot Cup in 1869, and many good handicap horses. His brother Alfred, a most elegant rider, often rode his horses. Day also won in 1859 the Goodwood Cup with Promised Land, who finished fourth in the Derby. Day's patrons included Lord Ribblesdale, the marquis of Anglesey, Lord Coventry, and Lord Westmorland.
In 1873 Day gave up training and sold off his stud, which realised upwards of 25,000l., but resumed operations in 1881, when Mr. J. R. Keene sent him some horses to train, including Foxhall, who won the Grand Prix, the Cesarewitch and the Cambridgeshire in 1881, and the Ascot Cup in 1882. Day afterwards trained a few horses at Salisbury, but finally retired in 1892. Meanwhile he formed a large breeding stud at Alvediston, near Salisbury, in 1873, and to it he devoted much attention. At that establishment there were over sixty thoroughbred brood mares. Cast-Off, the dam of Robert-the-Devil, winner of the St. Leger (1880), was bred there, and for a time Flying Duchess, the dam of Galopin, the Derby winner of 1875, was also at Alvediston.
Day, who had literary aptitude, wrote several articles on turf politics in the 'Fortnightly Review.' He published 'The Racehorse in Training' (1880), which was translated into French, and was universally regarded as valuable; 'Reminiscences of William Day, of Woodyates' (1886); and 'The Horse: How to Breed and Rear him' (1888).
Of medium height, and possessed of an iron will, Day was a model man of business. Like his father, who, on Sunday evenings, used to read Blair's sermons to the stable lads until they fell asleep, he was most punctilious in the discharge of his religious duties. For his patrons he won stakes to the value of over 200,000l. At one time a comparatively rich man, he lost the bulk of his fortune by speculating in poor land. Day died at Shirley, Southampton, on 29 Aug. 1908, and was buried by the side of his wife at the parish church, Pentridge, near Cranborne, Dorset. He married his cousin, Ellen, daughter of James Day, veterinary surgeon, of Kenford, Devonshire. They celebrated their golden wed- ding in 1896. Mrs. Day died shortly afterwards. Of five sons, Alfred James, the youngest, formerly lieutenant in the Middlesex yeomanry, and now a captain of cavalry in the national reserve, alone maintained the family associations with the turf, carrying on a training and breeding establishment near Arundel, Sussex.
[Notes supplied by Mr. Alfred James Day; Ruff's Guide to the Turf; Reminiscences of William Day, of Woodyates; Sporting Life, 31 Aug. 1908.]
E. M.