William Sheppard

William Sheppard (1855 – 24 January 1932) was a veteran racehorse trainer in the Colony and State of South Australia.

History Sheppard was born in Essex in straitened circumstances, a son of a gamekeeper. At age nine he was apprenticed to a Mr. Hilton, who raced dogs and horses, but some four years later he left that situation and joined up with the horse training establishment of Tom Sherwood (1838–1923) at Red House, Epsom, and trained the Derby winner Cremorne. After a couple of years, and a brief return to his home, he started with Mayhoe He was next with trainer Bloss who hired Sheppard as a groom to accompany the horses on their voyage to Australia.

He worked for Blackler at what was to become the Fulham Park Stud at The Reedbeds for three years, then returned to England. Whether this was intended as a holiday or some other purpose, Sheppard was soon back in Adelaide with Blackler. He next began working as a private trainer for Charles L. Taylor, who also had stables at The Reedbeds, and his first major success: Lightfoot, winner of the 1879 Great Eastern Steeplechase, and a string of other hurdle races with that horse and Jack's the Lad.

His next employer was Harry Leary with stables at the Seven Stars Hotel, Angas Street, and General Havelock Hotel, Hutt Street, then set up on his own as a public trainer at the Britannia Hotel. A year or two later he was engaged as private trainer by Thomas the family moved into a nearby property at Stacy (now Stacey) Street, Norwood, which he dubbed "Corizann Lodge", named for a 1 or 2-year old bay mare he got in exchange for a pony that cost him £3, and throughout his 60-year career he trained the winners of some 500 or 600 races. Les was noted as a "clocker", closely watching and recording the performance of his charges, and wrote for The News under the byline "Lord Setay", in homage to the horse of that name, perhaps the finest his father trained. He later worked at Simpson's factory, Dudley Park Leslie "Sam" Sheppard ( –1983) was a jockey Nellie Sheppard Leslie James "Les" "Shep" Sheppard ( –1987) was also a horse trainer, quiz champion, and as "Lord Setay" wrote on turf topics for The News.

Recognition Sheppards Lane, Norwood, which ran alongside his property, was named for him.