Evan Williams

The Market gave you a clue

It is what Handicaps are about and always has been

A strange individual imv

*in

Indeed irons the problem is they know exactly when they want to hit or miss, blatant. Then you get fawning coverage of one of his girls who do it all, by the media - vomit worthy.

Sounds like he may have hit judging by the court case.

And i thought he was a nice wee Man.

Trainer Evan Williams was accused of assaulting a dog walker with a hockey stick when appearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday.

Williams, one of the leading figures in Welsh racing, strenuously denies the claim and is pleading not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and an alternative charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Martin Dandridge, 72, told the court he “feared for his life” during an attack at Williams’ stables in Llancarfan on the evening of December 4, 2024.

However, the defence argued that his injuries, including a broken arm and several bruises, were sustained after slipping on unstable ground, while trespassing, before being dragged into a three-foot drain on the trainer's round gallop.

The incident occurred at around 9.30pm as Williams mistook Dandridge, a dog walker staying in a nearby rental cottage, for a lamper – a type of poacher – due to the lights on his headlamp and on the collar of his daughter’s cockapoo Gulliver.

Williams, alongside Conor Ring, jockey and partner of the trainer's daughter Isabel, drove towards Dandridge on a rural lane and informed police officers who happened to be on duty in the area. Williams is then alleged to have confronted Dandridge, striking him several times with an object, believed to be a hockey stick, on the chest, leg and an arm Dandridge was using to protect his face.

Dandridge outlined to the court that he faced several solid blows and suffered two fractures to his left arm. The court was read a WhatsApp message sent to his wife when hospitalised, stating “he would’ve killed me” had Ring not intervened.

Police officers arrived on the scene after the assault and pushed Dandridge, believed to be trespassing, to the ground. He was then escorted back to his cottage by officers, with Williams and Ring following.

When cross-examined, Dandridge was asked why he did not mention the attack until returning to the cottage at the earliest. The defence also claimed that Dandridge had said to officers “it was my own fault” when they initially approached him trespassing on Williams’ gallop.

The defence argued Williams was carrying a lead rope to fetch the stray dog, rather than a stick, and that he had helped Dandridge, who fell and stumbled on the rocky ground on a rainy night.

The trainer is in court just a week ahead of the Cheltenham Festival, where he is due to be represented in the BetMGM Champion Chase with Libberty Hunter.

The trial continues on Wednesday.

Police officers arrived on the scene after the assault and pushed Dandridge, believed to be trespassing, to the ground.

Taking your dog for a walk, what could possibly go wrong, eh?

Yes I always would recommend dialogue before violence just in case you have the wrong end of the stick.

fair play to the walker and his dog only thing Williams hasn't stopped this season