Richard Johnson
Richard Johnson
Richard Johnson
Richard Evan Johnson was born in Hereford on July 21, 1977, the son of farmers and trainers Keith and Sue Johnson. He was champion jump jockey four times and is the second-most successful jump jockey of all time in terms of wins.
Richard Evan Johnson was born in Hereford on July 21, 1977, the son of farmers and trainers Keith and Sue Johnson. He was champion jump jockey four times and is the second-most successful jump jockey of all time in terms of wins.
He served his apprenticeship as an amateur rider and conditional jockey with David Nicholson. He rode his first point-to-point winner on Space Mariner at Brampton Bryan on April 9, 1994. Later that same month, he achieved his first success under National Hunt rules on his parents’ horse Rusty Bridge in a Hereford hunter chase on April 30, 1994.
He served his apprenticeship as an amateur rider and conditional jockey with David Nicholson. He rode his first point-to-point winner on Space Mariner at Brampton Bryan on April 9, 1994. Later that same month, he achieved his first success under National Hunt rules on his parents’ horse Rusty Bridge in a Hereford hunter chase on April 30, 1994.
He went on to become champion jump jockey in four successive seasons (2015/16 to 2018/19) and was runner-up 17 times (a record), 16 times to AP McCoy and once to Brian Hughes. His most successful season numerically was in 2015/16 with 236 winners, comprising 235 in Britain plus one in Ireland.
He went on to become champion jump jockey in four successive seasons (2015/16 to 2018/19) and was runner-up 17 times (a record), 16 times to AP McCoy and once to Brian Hughes. His most successful season numerically was in 2015/16 with 236 winners, comprising 235 in Britain plus one in Ireland.
When winning his first championship in April 2016 at the age of 38, he became the oldest ever first-time British champion jump jockey, the previous oldest having been Bert Gordon who was 35 when securing his only title in 1908.
When winning his first championship in April 2016 at the age of 38, he became the oldest ever first-time British champion jump jockey, the previous oldest having been Bert Gordon who was 35 when securing his only title in 1908.
He recorded his 3,000th winner over jumps (Britain and Ireland combined) on Duke Des Champs at Ascot, on January 23, 2016, becoming only the second jump jockey to achieve that landmark.
He recorded his 3,000th winner over jumps (Britain and Ireland combined) on Duke Des Champs at Ascot, on January 23, 2016, becoming only the second jump jockey to achieve that landmark.
During his career he rode in the Grand National a record 21 times. He twice finished second, on What’s Up Boys in 2002 and Balthazar King in 2014. He won 15 races on Balthazar King including two editions of the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and back-to-back renewals of the Grand Cross Country de Craon in France.
During his career he rode in the Grand National a record 21 times. He twice finished second, on What’s Up Boys in 2002 and Balthazar King in 2014. He won 15 races on Balthazar King including two editions of the Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and back-to-back renewals of the Grand Cross Country de Craon in France.
Richard accumulated a total of 3,819 winners over jumps in Great Britain and Ireland (3,800 in Britain, 19 in Ireland) plus those two in France on Balthazar King. He rode a total of 23 Cheltenham Festival winners between 1999 and 2018 and was leading jockey at the meeting in 2002. He rode two five-timers during his career, both at Perth in consecutive months on August 18, 2018 and September 27, 2018. He was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to horseracing.
Richard accumulated a total of 3,819 winners over jumps in Great Britain and Ireland (3,800 in Britain, 19 in Ireland) plus those two in France on Balthazar King. He rode a total of 23 Cheltenham Festival winners between 1999 and 2018 and was leading jockey at the meeting in 2002. He rode two five-timers during his career, both at Perth in consecutive months on August 18, 2018 and September 27, 2018. He was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to horseracing.
He rode what proved to be his last winner on Camprond for Philip Hobbs in a maiden hurdle at Taunton on March 23, 2021.
He rode what proved to be his last winner on Camprond for Philip Hobbs in a maiden hurdle at Taunton on March 23, 2021.
Aged 43, he announced his retirement with immediate effect on Saturday, April 3, 2021, after finishing third on the Hobbs-trained Brother Tedd in a Newton Abbot handicap chase. Ironically, Brother Tedd was the horse he had ridden to victory in the race in which AP McCoy had had his farewell ride at Sandown in April 2015.
Aged 43, he announced his retirement with immediate effect on Saturday, April 3, 2021, after finishing third on the Hobbs-trained Brother Tedd in a Newton Abbot handicap chase. Ironically, Brother Tedd was the horse he had ridden to victory in the race in which AP McCoy had had his farewell ride at Sandown in April 2015.
As John Randall commented in the Racing Post’s six-page tribute on Easter Monday, April 5, 2021: “When discussing Johnson’s statistics, McCoy is the elephant in the room. Johnson compiled awesome figures but is destined always to be overshadowed by a colleague and friend who also rode his first jumps winner in the same month as him (April 1994) and, if numbers and records mean anything at all, was the greatest all-time jump jockey.”
As John Randall commented in the Racing Post’s six-page tribute on Easter Monday, April 5, 2021: “When discussing Johnson’s statistics, McCoy is the elephant in the room. Johnson compiled awesome figures but is destined always to be overshadowed by a colleague and friend who also rode his first jumps winner in the same month as him (April 1994) and, if numbers and records mean anything at all, was the greatest all-time jump jockey.”
He continued: “McCoy, with a jumps score of 4,348 was champion jockey 20 consecutive times, and in 16 of those seasons Johnson was runner-up, although justice was served and he claimed four titles after McCoy’s retirement. In other words, in McCoy’s absence Johnson would have been champion 20 times and would now be hailed as the greatest of all time.”
He continued: “McCoy, with a jumps score of 4,348 was champion jockey 20 consecutive times, and in 16 of those seasons Johnson was runner-up, although justice was served and he claimed four titles after McCoy’s retirement. In other words, in McCoy’s absence Johnson would have been champion 20 times and would now be hailed as the greatest of all time.”
Richard Johnson’s major wins included:
Richard Johnson’s major wins included:
1996: Towton Novices’ Chase – Mr Mulligan
1996: Towton Novices’ Chase – Mr Mulligan
1996: Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase – Mr Mulligan
1996: Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase – Mr Mulligan
1996: Heineken Gold Cup Chase (Punchestown) – Billygoat Gruff
1996: Heineken Gold Cup Chase (Punchestown) – Billygoat Gruff
1997: Singer & Friedlander National Trial – Lord Gyllene
1997: Singer & Friedlander National Trial – Lord Gyllene
1997: Haldon Gold Cup – Viking Flagship
1997: Haldon Gold Cup – Viking Flagship
1998: Martell Cup – Escartefigue
1998: Martell Cup – Escartefigue
1999: Stayers’ Hurdle – Anzum
1999: Stayers’ Hurdle – Anzum
1999: Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Punchestown) - Anzum
1999: Champion Stayers’ Hurdle (Punchestown) - Anzum
1999: Long Walk Hurdle – Anzum
1999: Long Walk Hurdle – Anzum
1999: Welsh Grand National – Edmond
1999: Welsh Grand National – Edmond
2000: Mildmay of Flete Chase – Dark Stranger
2000: Mildmay of Flete Chase – Dark Stranger
2000: Cheltenham Gold Cup – Looks Like Trouble
2000: Cheltenham Gold Cup – Looks Like Trouble
2000: Tingle Creek Chase – Flagship Uberalles
2000: Tingle Creek Chase – Flagship Uberalles
2001: Irish (Hennessy) Gold Cup – Florida Pearl
2001: Irish (Hennessy) Gold Cup – Florida Pearl
2001: Championship Hurdle (Sandown) – Leading Light
2001: Championship Hurdle (Sandown) – Leading Light
2002: Queen Mother Champion Chase – Flagship Uberalles
2002: Queen Mother Champion Chase – Flagship Uberalles
2002: County Hurdle – Rooster Booster
2002: County Hurdle – Rooster Booster
2003: Champion Hurdle – Rooster Booster
2003: Champion Hurdle – Rooster Booster
2003: Royal & Sun Alliance Chase – One Knight
2003: Royal & Sun Alliance Chase – One Knight
2003: Mildmay of Flete Chase – Young Spartacus
2003: Mildmay of Flete Chase – Young Spartacus
2003: Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase – La Landiere
2003: Cathcart Challenge Cup Chase – La Landiere
2004: Irish (Hennessy) Gold Cup – Florida Pearl
2004: Irish (Hennessy) Gold Cup – Florida Pearl
2004: Coral Cup Hurdle Final – Monkerhostin
2004: Coral Cup Hurdle Final – Monkerhostin
2004: Triumph Hurdle – Made In Japan
2004: Triumph Hurdle – Made In Japan
2005: Relkeel Hurdle – Mighty Man
2005: Relkeel Hurdle – Mighty Man
2005: Haldon Gold Cup – Monkerhostin
2005: Haldon Gold Cup – Monkerhostin
2006: Triumph Hurdle – Detroit City
2006: Triumph Hurdle – Detroit City
2006: Liverpool Hurdle – Mighty Man
2006: Liverpool Hurdle – Mighty Man
2006: Betfred Gold Cup – Lacdoudal
2006: Betfred Gold Cup – Lacdoudal
2006: Long Walk Hurdle – Mighty Man
2006: Long Walk Hurdle – Mighty Man
2007: Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – Massini’s Maguire
2007: Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle – Massini’s Maguire
2007: Liverpool Hurdle – Mighty Man
2007: Liverpool Hurdle – Mighty Man
2008: Bet365 Gold Cup – Monkerhostin
2008: Bet365 Gold Cup – Monkerhostin
2008: Haldon Gold Cup – Ashley Brook
2008: Haldon Gold Cup – Ashley Brook
2009: Haldon Gold Cup – Planet Of Sound
2009: Haldon Gold Cup – Planet Of Sound
2010: Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Menorah
2010: Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – Menorah
2010: Jewson Novices’ Chase – Copper Blue
2010: Jewson Novices’ Chase – Copper Blue
2010: Punchestown Gold Cup – Planet Of Sound
2010: Punchestown Gold Cup – Planet Of Sound
2011: Arkle Chase – Captain Chris
2011: Arkle Chase – Captain Chris
2011: Champion Bumper – Cheltenian
2011: Champion Bumper – Cheltenian
2011: Scottish Grand National – Beshabar
2011: Scottish Grand National – Beshabar
2012: Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase – Balthazar King
2012: Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase – Balthazar King
2012: Long Walk Hurdle – Reve De Sivola
2012: Long Walk Hurdle – Reve De Sivola
2013: Grand Cross Country de Craon – Balthazar King
2013: Grand Cross Country de Craon – Balthazar King
2013: Long Walk Hurdle – Reve De Sivola
2013: Long Walk Hurdle – Reve De Sivola
2014: Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase – Balthazar King
2014: Glenfarclas Cross-Country Chase – Balthazar King
2014: Pertemps Hurdle Final – Fingal Bay
2014: Pertemps Hurdle Final – Fingal Bay
2014: Grand Cross Country de Craon – Balthazar King
2014: Grand Cross Country de Craon – Balthazar King
2016: Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup – Native River
2016: Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup – Native River
2016: Welsh Grand National – Native River
2016: Welsh Grand National – Native River
2017: Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle – Flying Tiger
2017: Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle – Flying Tiger
2017: Triumph Hurdle – Defi Du Seuil
2017: Triumph Hurdle – Defi Du Seuil
2018: Cheltenham Gold Cup – Native River
2018: Cheltenham Gold Cup – Native River