Turner tribute as popular West Country figure dies

Bill Turner has paid tribute to longtime travelling head lad and West Country racing figure Derek Amiss, who has died at the age of 81.

Known to friends as Declan, Amiss also worked for Fred Rimell and Tim Forster but spent most of his career at Turner’s Somerset yard.

“I was a conditional jockey with [Lieutenant-Colonel] 'Ricky' Vallance at the time David Elsworth and that lot were there,” said Turner. “He appeared on the scene when he was about 30 and I have known him on and off ever since.