Renowned Trainer Bill Turner Dies After Tragic Accident

Bill Turner, a celebrated figure in British horse racing, has died following a head injury sustained in a tragic accident on March 25, 2024. The 78-year-old trainer suffered a severe skull fracture after being struck by a horse at his stables in Sigwells, Somerset. Turner, who had a distinguished career spanning six decades, never regained consciousness after the incident.

Turner was known for his exceptional skill in training two-year-olds, having achieved remarkable success in the Brocklesby Condition Stakes at Doncaster, a prestigious juvenile race, six times. Just before the accident, he had entered his horse, Red Snapper, to compete in the Richard and Louise Fox Wedding Anniversary Nursery Handicap at Chepstow.

His daughter, Kathy Turner, shared the news of his passing with Sky Sports Racing shortly before the race began. “Dad passed away about an hour and a half ago,” she said. “We had the phone call on the way up in the lorry.” Kathy emphasized the importance of the race for her father, stating, “I had already made the decision a couple of days ago that the horse was to run in dad’s name, in his honour.”

Kathy expressed the profound love and impact her father had on many. “He wasn’t just my dad and my sister’s dad, and Ryan’s grandfather; he was everyone’s dad,” she noted. “The messages and the support from everyone have just been absolutely outstanding.”

Despite his age, Turner maintained a relentless work ethic, preparing a non-thoroughbred horse for the sales at the time of the accident. “He would have preferred to have been going flat-out up the gallops, but unfortunately, it was just a freak accident,” Kathy added. She reflected on his resilience, recalling, “I still can’t get round that this injury has done this to him because I pulled him out from underneath horses on the gallops.”

Turner’s last triumph in the Brocklesby Stakes occurred in 2013, when his horse, Mick’s Yer Man, was ridden to victory by his grandson, Ryan While, who was then a 7lb claiming apprentice. Ryan expressed his admiration for his grandfather, stating, “There is never going to be another gentleman like him—a gentleman in everybody’s hearts. He’s done everything for us and everybody else, and I just hope we can make him proud in some way.”

The racing community has mourned the loss of a trainer who not only excelled in his profession but also touched the lives of many with his generosity and dedication. Bill Turner will be remembered not only for his remarkable achievements in racing but also for the warmth and kindness he shared with all who knew him.