Willie Carson

Willie Carson OBE is a legendary Scottish jockey who reigned as one of the most prolific and popular figures in British Flat racing for over three decades.

Born in Stirling in 1942, the diminutive five-foot-tall rider was known for his immense strength, tactical shrewdness, and a distinctive, energetic riding style. He was crowned British Champion Flat Jockey five times (1972, 1973, 1978, 1980, and 1983) and remains the fourth most successful jockey in British history with 3,828 career winners in the UK.

His career was defined by elite partnerships, most notably as the retained rider for Major Dick Hern and later for the powerful Shadwell Estates operation of Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. Carson won 17 British Classics, including four victories in the Epsom Derby with superstars like Troy (1979), Henbit (1980), Nashwan (1989), and Erhaab (1994).

One of his most cherished milestones was winning the 1988 St Leger on Minster Son, a horse he had bred himself at his own Minster Stud.