champion jockey

The 2021/22 UK Jumps Champions were crowned during the bet365 Jump Finale at Sandown Park on Saturday. Brian Hughes, who became only the fourth NH jockey to ride a double century of winners in a season, was named the UK Champion Jumps Jockey for a second time. His win total sits at 204, 99 ahead of Sam Twiston-Davies in second. Hughes, who won the title in 2019/20 said, "It is something at the start of the season I set out to try and do and it is great that it...

Oisin Murphy, the three-time champion jockey in Britain, will face the independent disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) on Tuesday, Feb. 22 for five alleged rule breaches. Members of the panel will consider whether Murphy misled the BHA regarding his travel destination in order to circumvent Covid rules and failed to comply with those restrictions. Further charges relate to two separate incidents, on May 5, 2021 and Oct. 8, 2021, when the jockey failed breath tests for alcohol at Chester and Newmarket racecourses respectively. The hearing will also...

Jockey Joel Rosario's huge 2021 saw his mounts rack up $32,944,478—more than $3.6 million more than 2018, 2019 and 2020 Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr.—and the 37-year-old from the Dominican Republic celebrated his first Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey Thursday evening. Among Rosario's noteworthy wins last year were the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic aboard Knicks Go and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies on Echo Zulu. He was also the regular rider of Jackie's Warrior.  California-based Jessica Pyfer was named outstanding apprentice jockey. She booted home 59 winners with...

The British jockeys' championship came right down to the wire in a tight race between Oisin Murphy and William Buick in recent weeks, but despite Buick's victory aboard Creative Force on Champions Day, Murphy prevailed by two victories to earn his third consecutive champion jockey title. "I'm over the moon and thrilled to get it across the line," Murphy said. "Thank you to my family and everyone--I've got a massive support group. The last week I've had a lot of people on my side. Frankie Dettori has been there every...

British racing has lost one of its greatest figures with the passing of former champion jockey Joe Mercer OBE at the age of 86.   Joseph Mercer was one of two brothers, born in Bradford in Yorkshire, who lit up Britain's apprentice ranks in the decade after the Second World War. The elder brother Emmanuel 'Manny' Mercer served his apprenticeship in Newmarket with George Colling and created such a good impression (most obviously by riding the 100/1 winner of the 1947 Lincolnshire Handicap, Jockey Treble, aged only 17) that Major...

Richard Johnson, a four-time champion jockey over jumps, announced his retirement on Saturday. His final ride was a third-place finish aboard Brother Tedd (GB) (Kayf Tara {GB}) in the 5:25 at Newton Abbot. Johnson, who has over 3,800 winners, earned his first title in 2016 after 20-time champion jockey Sir AP McCoy retired. He retained his crown for three more seasons. Johnson was also runner-up to McCoy an additional 16 times in the jockeys' standings. Although he did not win the Grand National, he booted home two winners of the...

Champion jockey Oisin Murphy, who has been serving a three-month suspension, returns to the saddle at Lingfield on Friday. The two-time champion jockey and retained rider for Qatar Racing was banned by France Galop stewards following a positive test this past summer for cocaine metabolites. Throughout the investigation, Murphy denied taking cocaine. A France Galop hearing accepted Murphy's hair sample results and his testimony regarding unintentional environmental contamination. His three mounts over the Lingfield polytrack on Friday are: Saeed Manana and trainer James Tate's Rain Gauge (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}) in...

John Gosden was on Monday named champion flat trainer for the third year running and fifth time overall. Gosden's runners earned £3,114,226 on the racecourse in 2020, more than £650,000 ahead of Aidan O'Brien. Gosden's stable took home seven Group 1 trophies this year, including a third win in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. for Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and for Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot. "I would like to thank all of my staff for all...

Hong Kong champion jockey Joao 'Magic Man' Moreira became only the third jockey in Hong Kong history to ride 1,000 winners on the island. The Brazilian was successful aboard Incanto Prepared (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the Class 4 Uranus H. over 1650 metres at Happy Valley on Wednesday. He joins 13-time champion Douglas Whyte (1813) and fellow champion Zac Purton (1209) in this elite millennial club. "I can only describe it as a dream come true because I never dreamed that, to be honest, and I would never think that...

Last year's champion jockey Oisin Murphy earned his second crown with 142 wins in 2020. William Buick closed to within nine wins, but could ultimately not make up the deficit at Newcastle on Friday. Murphy is currently at the Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland. The retained rider for Qatar Racing, Murphy booted home Kameko (Kitten's Joy) in the G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas in June. "I'm incredibly proud to have won a second champion jockey title and I'm extremely thankful for the team around me that have enabled me to do...

Qatar Racing colourbearer Perfect Sign (Ire) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) gave pilot Oisin Murphy his 1,000 winner. The reigning champion jockey and retained rider for Qatar Racing teamed up with the juvenile filly for trainer Michael Dods at Southwell. The 25-year-old Irishman, who was the champion apprentice in the UK in 2014, was appointed number one Jockey for Qatar Racing in 2016. On board Qatar Racing's Kameko (Kitten's Joy) he gained his first Classic success in the 2020 G1 QIPCO 2000 Guineas. Murphy told Sky Sports Racing: "I ride for great...

Following a seven-day suspension, champion jockey Oisin Murphy booted home his 100th winner of the abbreviated COVID-19 season. The Kodi Kid (Ire) (Kodi Bear {GB}) won the first race on the card at Bath and was Murphy's 539th ride of the year. "It's great to get another one on the board for Andrew--he's my biggest supporter and the horses are flying, so I'm thrilled," said Oisin Murphy of the Andrew Balding trainee. "It's great to do it [ride 100th winner] for Andrew. This horse ran well last time and this...