Charlie and Mark Johnston

Veteran rider Franny Norton, who announced his retirement earlier this week, rode a trio of winners at Chester to end his career on a high. Norton enjoyed seven rides on Saturday, prevailing with 1-3 favourite Raneenn (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) in the EBF "Confined" Fillies' Novice Stakes for trainer William Haggas and owner Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum in the day's third race. Haggas said, "It was lovely to give him a winner on his last day. He rode the most brilliant race for us a few years ago (2017) on a...

Great British Racing's National Racehorse Week, which takes place from September 7-15, will see 130 venues across England, Scotland, and Wales open their doors over the course of the event as it returns for the fourth consecutive year. Ninety-one yards have signed up to participate in 2024, including those of Nicky Henderson, Charlie and Mark Johnston, David Pipe and Kim Bailey. "I'm a great believer that racing yards should open their doors to the public and National Racehorse Week provides us with a golden opportunity to push the curtains aside...

Group 1 winner Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) sustained an injury to his near-hind fetlock in a piece of work at Martyn and Freddie Meade's on Monday, and has been ruled out for the remainder of the season. "We were preparing him to run in the [G2] Sky Bet York S. when he suffered a conjugal fracture on his near-hind fetlock, so it is an absolute tragedy," Martyn Meade told the Press Association. "We were giving him his last bit of work yesterday on our watered peat moss gallop, which...

The Johnston approach to sourcing talent sounds terribly simplistic and there's no doubting that it has appeared that way through the oodles of success the Middleham men have had on the racecourse. But this year was an important one for the Johnstons with Charlie taking over from his father Mark, the winningmost trainer of all time in Britain, who opened up on how he tackles the yearling sales to TDN Europe last year. Given the importance of Charlie enjoying a productive debut season as a full-fledged trainer and the need...

Not seen since Royal Ascot success two years ago, Group 1 winner Subjectivist (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) could return on the Saudi Cup undercard in Riyadh next month, according to trainer Charlie Johnston. "Entries closed yesterday morning for the Saudi Cup meeting and Subjectivist has been entered in the [G3] Red Sea Turf H.--[the] 1 mile and 7-furlong race," Johnston said. Winner of the 2021 G1 Gold Cup June 17, the now-6-year-old was previously victorious in the 2020 G1 Prix Royal-Oak at ParisLongchamp on Oct. 25 and the 2021 G2 Dubai...

Ahmad Al Shaikh's Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion--Beach Bunny {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}) backed up victories at Windsor and Kempton in August with a half-length second in last month's G2 Royal Lodge S. at Newmarket and stepped forward to register a determined success in Saturday's G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud, becoming the first Group 1 winner from the lone crop of his sire (by Kitten's Joy). The 49-10 chance was swiftly into stride and led through the early fractions of this 10-furlong test. Headed on the turn for home, he...

Ahmad Al Shaikh's twice-raced 2-year-old colt Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion--Beach Bunny {Ire}, by High Chaparral {Ire}), a €20,000 Goffs Orby graduate, notched a landmark score for Mark Johnston when making all in Wednesday's British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Novice S. at Kempton. The March-foaled chestnut, who was let go as the 6-5 favourite, became the trainer's 5,000th winner when annexing the one-mile test by an impressive four lengths from 13-8 market rival Super Mo (Uncle Mo). 1st-Kempton, £6,800, Nov, 8-24, 2yo, 8f (AWT), 1:42.35, st/sl. DUBAI MILE (IRE) (c,...

Gallop Racing's 2-year-old distaffer Lakota Sioux (Ire) (Sioux Nation--Shemiyla {Fr} {GSW-Fr, $169,373}, by Dalakhani {Ire}) bounced back off a third in Royal Ascot's Listed Chesham S. to secure a career high in Saturday's G3 Jewson Sweet Solera S. at Newmarket, becoming the second black-type winner for her freshman sire (by Scat Daddy). She had earlier debuted with a May 20 third at Haydock before plundering a May 30 Lingfield maiden by 6 1/2 lengths in her penultimate start. The 10-3 second favourite was swiftly into stride and raced in a...

Jaber Abdullah's Dance In The Grass (GB) (Cracksman {GB}--Dance The Dream {GB}, by Sir Percy {GB}) became the fifth winner for her freshman sire (by Frankel {GB}) when snagging her June 10 debut, going seven furlongs at Sandown in her only prior start, and registered a first stakes win for the Dalham Hall Stud resident in Thursday's Listed European Bloodstock News EBF Star S. over the same course and distance. The eventual winner was squeezed for room during the initial exchanges and raced off the pace towards the rear through...

Mark Johnston, one of the most successful trainers of the modern era in Britain, joined forces with his son Charlie last winter and things couldn't be going better for the father-and-son team in their first full season holding the licence together.     The Middleham team sent out 100 or more winners for 28 consecutive seasons and, with 94 winners already on the board this term, are sure to surpass that tally once again.      Interestingly, the Johnstons have sent out 26 juvenile winners this season, which is more than any...

Qatar Racing's 2-year-old colt Lion of War (GB) (Roaring Lion) became the first scorer from the lone crop of his ill-fated sire (by Kitten's Joy), when graduating in his June 11 debut going seven furlongs at Leicester last time, and notched another notable first when becoming a TDN Rising Star with a 10-length rout in Thursday's Pertemps Riverside Restricted Novice S. over much the same distance at Newcastle. The 8-11 favourite, burdened with a seven-pound penalty, was swiftly into stride and raced under a firm hold on the front end...

Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy) became the latest European freshman sire off the mark when Lion of War (GB) notched a debut win in Saturday's British Stallion Studs EBF Restricted Maiden S. over seven furlongs at Leicester. 1st-Leicester, £7,000, Mdn, 6-11, 2yo, 7fT, 1:23.36, g/f. LION OF WAR (GB) (c, 2, Roaring Lion--Momentus {Ire} {SP-Eng}, by Montjeu {Ire}) raced off the pace in ninth through the early fractions of this debut. Tanking forward from halfway, the 7-2 chance seized control approaching the final furlong and was ridden out in the closing...