John Roberts

John Roberts

1917-1974

John Frederick Roberts was born in 1917, the son of Cheltenham trainer Ben Roberts. He had a brief period riding over jumps on horses trained by his father. However, he is far better remembered as the trainer of Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Four Ten.

He started out as an amateur and rode his first winner on Corracunna Lass in the St Fagan’s Selling Handicap Hurdle at Cardiff on Whit Monday, June 1, 1936. He had two wins in the 1936/37 season, both in February on a four-year-old named Antigua in selling hurdles at Nottingham and Birmingham. However, his career ended soon after turning professional, spending three years in and out of hospital following an injury. 

Following his father’s death in 1942, John began training four years later, based at Prestbury, within hailing distance of Cheltenham’s racecourse. He achieved by far his greatest success when Four Ten won the 1954 Cheltenham Gold Cup in the hands of Tommy Cusack.  

John Roberts retired from training in 1970, having held a licence for almost 25 years. He died four years later.