Category: Trainers and Owners

How old is John Gosden?

Five-time champion trainer John Gosden was born in Hove, Sussex on March 30, 1951 so, at the time of writing, he has recently turned 70 years of age. Gosden has been based at Clarehaven Stables on Bury Road, Newmarket since returning to the ‘Home of Horse Racing’ from his previous base in Manton, Wiltshire in 2006.

Gosden is on the record as ‘not looking to retire any time soon’ but, since March, 2021, has held a joint training licence with his son, Thady. Thady Gosden, 25, had been assistant trainer to his father for five years and regularly represented the yard at racecourses around the world. According to Gosden Snr., he is ‘more than ready to take over’ and, with Gosden Jnr. supervising the training of Mishriff, winner of the Saudi Cup at Riyadh and the Sheema Classic at Meydan in recent months, few would care to argue.

The father-son partnership, described by John Gosden as a ‘fair compromise’, was successful with its very first runner, Regent, at Lingfield on March 26, 2021. Thady Gosden was not present to witness the landmark victory, though, because he was already on his way to the Dubai World Cup Meeting.

Was the late John Dunlop ever champion trainer?

Was the late John Dunlop ever champion trainer? The late John Leeper Dunlop, who died at the age of 78 on July 7, 2018, after a long illness, was indeed champion trainer, just once, in 1995. That was the season in which Bahri, owned by the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum and ridden by Willie Carson, took an unconventional route, isolated on the far side, until the home turn to win the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot. However, Bahri was just one of 74 Group One winners, including 10 British Classic winners, that Dunlop saddled in a training career spanning six decades.

Dunlop took over the training licence at Castle Stables in Arundel, West Sussex in 1966 and by the time he retired, in 2012, had saddled over 3,500. He was closely associated with Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum for much of his career and notable winners in the famous blue-and-white silks included not only Bahri, but also Salsabil, who won the 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and Irish Derby in 1990

Erhaab, who won the Derby in 1994. At the time of his death, Dunlop was rightly described as

one of the great trainers of his generation and his racing legacy lives on through his sons, Ed and Harry, both of whom are Group One-winning trainers. Touchingly, at the time of writing, Ed Dunlop trains a promising 3-year-old Frankel colt named ‘John Leeper’ in homour of his late father.

How many times has Sir Michael Stoute won the Derby?

At the time of writing, veteran trainer Sir Michael Stoute, 75, has won the Derby five times, twice before his knighthood – interestingly, awarded for services not to horse racing, but to tourism in his native Barbados, in 1998 – and three times thereafter. His most famous Derby winner was undoubtedly Shergar, who won, eased down, by 10 lengths in 1981. Shergar was owned by Prince Shāh Karim al-Husayni, a.k.a. Aga Khan IV, and ridden by the late Walter Swinburn, as was Stoute’s next Derby winner, Shahrastani, in 1986. Rather unfairly, the 1986 Derby is remembered more for the controversial defeat of the hot favourite, Dancing Brave, than the victory of Shahrastani.

In any event, Stoute had to wait a while for his next Derby winner but, in the style of ‘London buses’, two came along together, in the form of Kris Kin in 2003 and North Light in 2004. Both winners were ridden by Kieren Fallon. Last, but by no means least, in 2010, Stoute enjoyed another wide-margin, ‘Royal’ Derby winner, courtesy of Workforce, owned by the late Khalid Abdullah. Ridden by Ryan Moore, Workforce was soon clear and in command, winning by 7 lengths in a time of 2 minutes 31.33 seconds, which still stands as a course record.

Who is the leading owner in the history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup?

Who is the leading owner in the history of the Cheltenham Gold Cup? Unsurprisingly, the leading owner in the history of the Cheltenham was the owner of the most successful horse in the history of the ‘Blue Riband’ event, Golden Miller. Golden Miller achieved legendary status by winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup five years running between 1932 and 1936, but his owner, the Honourable Dorothy Paget, became almost as famous, or infamous, for her eccentric, often tyrannical behaviour. The richest unmarried woman in the country, at one point, Miss Paget would win the Cheltenham Gold Cup again with Roman Hackle in 1940 and Mont Tremblant in 1952, for a total of seven victories; her success did not prevent her being utterly difficult and falling out with her trainers on a regular basis.

Basil Briscoe, who trained Golden Miller to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup the first four times, was replaced by Owen Anthony after the horse tried to refuse and unseated rider in 1935 Grand National. Anthony, who also trained Roman Hackle, was sufficiently forthright to tell the largely nocturnal not to disturb him in the middle of the night, as was her custom. Fulke Walwyn, who trained Month Tremblant, on the other hand, found Miss Paget ‘so trying’.

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