Jason Weaver
Jason Charles Weaver was born in Nottingham on February 9, 1972. His father played football for Notts County, Northampton Town and Swindon. However, Jason was brought up in Portskewett in South Wales, a stone’s throw from the Severn Bridge crossing, his family having moved there when he was six months old.
Jason Charles Weaver was born in Nottingham on February 9, 1972. His father played football for Notts County, Northampton Town and Swindon. However, Jason was brought up in Portskewett in South Wales, a stone’s throw from the Severn Bridge crossing, his family having moved there when he was six months old.
At school his careers officer was somewhat pessimistic when Jason told him he wanted to be a jockey, but his parents wrote to the British Racing School and he was given an interview. The BRS then placed him with Luca Cumani for four weeks for assessment prior to him embarking on a Racing School course. Having graduated from that, he became apprenticed to Cimani in 1989 and rode his first winner, True Dividend, at Brighton on May 30, 1990.
At school his careers officer was somewhat pessimistic when Jason told him he wanted to be a jockey, but his parents wrote to the British Racing School and he was given an interview. The BRS then placed him with Luca Cumani for four weeks for assessment prior to him embarking on a Racing School course. Having graduated from that, he became apprenticed to Cimani in 1989 and rode his first winner, True Dividend, at Brighton on May 30, 1990.
His next six winners were all odds-on ‘steering jobs’, which led to him being known in the yard as ‘Odds-on Weaver’. Indeed, some of the lads painted those words on the side on the bucket of his grooming kit.
His next six winners were all odds-on ‘steering jobs’, which led to him being known in the yard as ‘Odds-on Weaver’. Indeed, some of the lads painted those words on the side on the bucket of his grooming kit.
He was crowned champion apprentice in 1993 with 60 winners. He finished runner-up to Frankie Dettori in the 1994 jockeys’ table with 200 winners, thus becoming the only jockey to ride a double century without becoming champion.
He was crowned champion apprentice in 1993 with 60 winners. He finished runner-up to Frankie Dettori in the 1994 jockeys’ table with 200 winners, thus becoming the only jockey to ride a double century without becoming champion.
Jason had moved to Middleham at the start of 1994 and taken up the post of stable jockey to Mark Johnston. He made a perfect start to his new job by winning that year’s 2,000 Guineas on Mister Baileys, edging out Dettori’s mount Grand Lodge by a short head. He went agonisingly close to landing a second 2,000 Guineas for Johnston with Bijou d’Inde in 1996, being beaten a short head and a head by Mark Of Esteem and Even Top in a three-way photo. However, they gained swift compensation by winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Jason had moved to Middleham at the start of 1994 and taken up the post of stable jockey to Mark Johnston. He made a perfect start to his new job by winning that year’s 2,000 Guineas on Mister Baileys, edging out Dettori’s mount Grand Lodge by a short head. He went agonisingly close to landing a second 2,000 Guineas for Johnston with Bijou d’Inde in 1996, being beaten a short head and a head by Mark Of Esteem and Even Top in a three-way photo. However, they gained swift compensation by winning the St James’s Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Jason won multiple races on those popular warriors Star Rage and Vindaloo, but the horse with which he will always be linked is Double Trigger. Jason won ten races on the Johnston-trained stayer including the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup, Italian St Leger, back-to-back runnings of Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes and Sandown’s Henry II Stakes, the Zetland Stakes and the Italian St Leger at Turin.
Jason won multiple races on those popular warriors Star Rage and Vindaloo, but the horse with which he will always be linked is Double Trigger. Jason won ten races on the Johnston-trained stayer including the Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup, Doncaster Cup, Italian St Leger, back-to-back runnings of Ascot’s Sagaro Stakes and Sandown’s Henry II Stakes, the Zetland Stakes and the Italian St Leger at Turin.
The Johnston-Weaver combination achieved further Group 1 success in 1997, courtesy of Princely Heir in the Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown and Lend A Hand in Italy’s Gran Criterium.
The Johnston-Weaver combination achieved further Group 1 success in 1997, courtesy of Princely Heir in the Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown and Lend A Hand in Italy’s Gran Criterium.
Jason rode more than 1,000 winners in a career spanning 14 years before increasing weight forced him to announce his retirement in 2002 at the age of 30. He was keen to stay in racing, seeing his retirement as a jockey as a way forward in other areas of the sport. He began by working as an American racing pundit for At The Races (now Sky Sports Racing). He had a good knowledge of American racing, having ridden at Santa Anita, Bay Meadows and Belmont Park and spent three months of three consecutive winters in California with trainers Charlie Whittingham and Bruce Headley. He’d also ridden Hever Golf Rose in the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont.
Jason rode more than 1,000 winners in a career spanning 14 years before increasing weight forced him to announce his retirement in 2002 at the age of 30. He was keen to stay in racing, seeing his retirement as a jockey as a way forward in other areas of the sport. He began by working as an American racing pundit for At The Races (now Sky Sports Racing). He had a good knowledge of American racing, having ridden at Santa Anita, Bay Meadows and Belmont Park and spent three months of three consecutive winters in California with trainers Charlie Whittingham and Bruce Headley. He’d also ridden Hever Golf Rose in the 1995 Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Belmont.
In 2006 he made a one-off comeback to race-riding, in a match race with Michael Roberts as part of the Shergar Cup at Ascot. Jason won the race on Pic Up Sticks.
In 2006 he made a one-off comeback to race-riding, in a match race with Michael Roberts as part of the Shergar Cup at Ascot. Jason won the race on Pic Up Sticks.
He formed an excellent TV partnership with co-presenter Luke Harvey, their quickfire banter on the Friday night ‘Get In’ programme on At The Races being hugely popular with viewers. When ITV took over from Channel 4 as racing’s terrestrial broadcaster in 2017, Jason and Luke became part of the team.
He formed an excellent TV partnership with co-presenter Luke Harvey, their quickfire banter on the Friday night ‘Get In’ programme on At The Races being hugely popular with viewers. When ITV took over from Channel 4 as racing’s terrestrial broadcaster in 2017, Jason and Luke became part of the team.
Classic winner:
Classic winner:
Two Thousand Guineas: Mister Baileys (1994)
Two Thousand Guineas: Mister Baileys (1994)
Other big winners:
Other big winners:
1993: Wokingham Stakes – Nagida
1993: Wokingham Stakes – Nagida
1993: November Handicap – Quick Ransom
1993: November Handicap – Quick Ransom
1994: King George V Handicap – Midnight Legend
1994: King George V Handicap – Midnight Legend
1994: Northumberland Plate – Quick Ransom
1994: Northumberland Plate – Quick Ransom
1994: November Handicap – Saxon Maid
1994: November Handicap – Saxon Maid
1995: Sagaro Stakes – Double Trigger
1995: Sagaro Stakes – Double Trigger
1995: Henry II Stakes – Double Trigger
1995: Henry II Stakes – Double Trigger
1995: Ascot Gold Cup – Double Trigger
1995: Ascot Gold Cup – Double Trigger
1995: Goodwood Cup – Double Trigger
1995: Goodwood Cup – Double Trigger
1995: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Double Blue
1995: Great St Wilfrid Handicap – Double Blue
1995: Doncaster Cup – Double Trigger
1995: Doncaster Cup – Double Trigger
1996: Sagaro Stakes – Double Trigger
1996: Sagaro Stakes – Double Trigger
1996: Henry II Stakes – Double Trigger
1996: Henry II Stakes – Double Trigger
1996: St James’s Palace Stakes – Bijou D'inde
1996: St James’s Palace Stakes – Bijou D'inde
1997: Cumberland Plate – Just Grand
1997: Cumberland Plate – Just Grand
1998: Lincoln Handicap – Hunters Of Brora
1998: Lincoln Handicap – Hunters Of Brora
In Italy
In Italy
1994: Leger Italiano – Double Trigger
1994: Leger Italiano – Double Trigger
1997: Gran Criterium - Lend A Hand
1997: Gran Criterium - Lend A Hand
In France
In France
1995: Prix de l'Abbaye - Hever Golf Rose
1995: Prix de l'Abbaye - Hever Golf Rose
In Ireland
In Ireland
1997: Phoenix Staks - Princely Heir
1997: Phoenix Staks - Princely Heir