Robert Sidebottom

Flat jockey Robert Sidebottom was initially apprenticed to Barnstaple trainer John Hill and rode his first winner for him on Continuing Story in a six-furlong apprentice race at Windsor on August 14, 1978. Weight was evidently already something of an issue for he had to put up 1lb overweight at 8st 2lb.

Robert headed north the following season and joined Denys Smith’s Bishop Auckland stable. It was a good move, for he enjoyed his most successful season in 1979, racking up 33 winners. They included five wins on Smith’s sprinter Hedge School.

Although he had a reasonably good year the following season, he was unable to build on that early success, managing just two winners from 46 mounts in 1981, one of which came on Denys Smith three-year-old sprinter Willie Gan at Edinburgh on April 13.

He subsequently returned south to Newmarket and completed his apprenticeship firstly with Robert Williams and then with Willie Musson. However, he found further success hard to come by.

Instead, having relinquished his jockey’s licence, he went on to forge a highly successful career in other horse racing spheres. He became senior instructor and jockey coach at the British Racing School, earning a reputation as a talented communicator and coach of race-riding skills. He then graduated to become a stipendiary steward for the British Horseracing Authority.

Robert has now taken up the position of Instructor/Jockey Coach for the Korean Racing Authority.