William (horse)

William was the only classic winner sired by Governor, a horse who stood as a stallion at Leigh, near Cricklade in Wiltshire at a fee of five guineas.

[1] William's dam, one of many Thoroughbred mares named Elizabeth,[2] was a granddaughter of Pastorella, a half-sister to the 1780 Epsom Derby winner Diomed.

[4] Three months later, William and Alfana met again in a sweepstakes over the same course and distance, and the colt recorded his first success by beating the filly and two others "very easy".

[9] After a five-month break, William was one of twelve colts and fillies to contest the thirty-ninth running of the St Leger at Doncaster Racecourse.

[11] Two days after his classic victory, William walked over in the Gascoigne Stakes over the same course and distance, after the other runners, including Heart of Oak, were withdrawn by their owners.

On 31 May he started at odds of 2/1 for the Constitution Stakes over one and a quarter miles at York and finished second to Lord Scarborough's six-year-old Catton.