Richard Johnson (jockey)
Encyclopedia
Richard Johnson is an English
National Hunt jockey
.
He has had great success at the Cheltenham Festival
. His first win at Cheltenham was on Anzum in the 1999 Stayers' Hurdle
. He won the 2000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup
with Looks Like Trouble
and the 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase
with Flagship Uberalles
. Richard was also victorious in the 2003 Smurfit Kappa Group
Champion Hurdle
with the Philip Hobbs
-trained Rooster Booster
on which he also came 2nd in 2004. He is one of only two jockeys riding today, the other being Barry Geraghty
, to have won all four of those championship races at Cheltenham.
A major influence on Richard’s racing career was "The Duke" – David Nicholson
who supported him in his bid to become a professional jockey.
In 2003, Richard became the eighth National Hunt jockey to ride 1,000 winners in Britain on Quedex at Stratford
. He recorded his 2,000th career winner aboard Fighting Chance at Newbury on 16 December 2009.
, a relationship that created a great deal of media interest. The couple split in 2003.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
National Hunt jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
.
Background
Johnson comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.Jockey career
Richard became Champion Conditional Jockey in 1995, at the age of 18.He has had great success at the Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival
The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious meetings in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, and has race prize money second only to the Grand National...
. His first win at Cheltenham was on Anzum in the 1999 Stayers' Hurdle
World Hurdle
The World Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles , and during its running there are twelve hurdles to be jumped...
. He won the 2000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup
Cheltenham Gold Cup
The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in the United Kingdom which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the New Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 3 miles and 2½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-two fences to be jumped...
with Looks Like Trouble
Looks Like Trouble
Looks Like Trouble was a horse that was trained by Noel T. Chance. In 2002, he was well fancied for the Gold Cup at the odds of 9-2 and was ridden by Richard Johnson. At the 10th fence, he blundered very badly and almost had lost a complete chance in the race. He eventually went on to win by 5...
and the 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase
Queen Mother Champion Chase
The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are twelve fences to be jumped...
with Flagship Uberalles
Flagship Uberalles
Flagship Uberalles was a racehorse, a half brother to the 1994 and 1995 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Viking Flagship, who raced between 1997 and 2005. He started his racing career as a Flat horse in Ireland and was trained by Dermot Weld and made his race course debut in April 1997...
. Richard was also victorious in the 2003 Smurfit Kappa Group
Smurfit Kappa Group
The Smurfit Kappa Group is Europe's leading corrugated packaging company, following the merger of Jefferson Smurfit Group and Kappa Packaging. This merger was finalized by the end of 2005...
Champion Hurdle
Champion Hurdle
The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the online sportsbook StanJames.com, the race is now known as the Stan James Champion Hurdle...
with the Philip Hobbs
Philip Hobbs
Philip Hobbs is a British racehorse trainer specializing mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables near Minehead, Somerset....
-trained Rooster Booster
Rooster Booster (horse)
Rooster Booster was a British-bred thoroughbred racehorse, best known for winning the 2003 Champion Hurdle.-Background:Rooster Booster was a gelding whose grey coat and racing style made him easily recognisable. He was the only horse of any consequence produced by the unsuccessful racehorse...
on which he also came 2nd in 2004. He is one of only two jockeys riding today, the other being Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty
Barry Geraghty is an Irish jockey.Geraghty rode his first winner in January 1997, three years later he became the Irish Champion jump jockey for the first time. He rode his first Cheltenham winner on the Jessica Harrington trained Moscow Flyer in the 2002 Arkle Chase.He won the Grand National in...
, to have won all four of those championship races at Cheltenham.
A major influence on Richard’s racing career was "The Duke" – David Nicholson
David Nicholson (horse racing)
David Nicholson was a British National Hunt jockey and trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons....
who supported him in his bid to become a professional jockey.
In 2003, Richard became the eighth National Hunt jockey to ride 1,000 winners in Britain on Quedex at Stratford
Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse
Stratford-on-Avon Racecourse, also known as simply Stratford Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, England.-External links:***...
. He recorded his 2,000th career winner aboard Fighting Chance at Newbury on 16 December 2009.
Personal life
For five years Richard lived with the Queen's granddaughter Zara PhillipsZara Phillips
Zara Anne Elizabeth Phillips, MBE is the second child and only daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips and is 13th in the line of succession to the throne...
, a relationship that created a great deal of media interest. The couple split in 2003.