Former champion jockey Richard Johnson made a shock announcement that he was retiring with immediate effect after his final ride on Brother Tedd at Newton Abbot on Saturday.
The 43-year-old who won the jockeys title 4 times was also second to Sir Anthony McCoy for an amazing 16 years on the bounce before claiming the crown himself why that esteemed rival retired in 2015.
In a statement Johnson said:
“After nearly 30 years in the saddle, the time has come for me to retire.
“I have been so extraordinarily lucky to have ridden so many wonderful horses, and for so many incredible trainers and owners. It was particularly important to me to finish on one for Philip and Sarah Hobbs who, like Henry Daly, have supported me for over 20 years. I’ll never be able to articulate what their loyalty has meant to me.
“There are so many people to thank who have been part of my journey. Without ‘the Duke’ and Dinah Nicholson and their remarkable staff, I’d never have got that first leg up. Noel Chance, Peter Bowen and Milton Bradley, thank you for putting your trust in me when I was starting out. Those were the days that shaped my career, with so many people who remain lifelong friends.
“The truth is there are simply too many people to thank on an individual basis, but you know who you are and what you mean to me. To jockeys past and present who I’ve shared weighing room benches with up-and-down the country, to the valets who have looked after me, to the doctors who’ve patched me up and to the physios who’ve put me back together. Without Dave Roberts I’d have never ridden as many winners and without the help of physio Kate Davis in recent years I wouldn’t physically have been able to. I salute you all.
Career statistics
Big race wins
Cheltenham Festival (22)
- Cheltenham Gold Cup – (2) Looks Like Trouble (2000), Native River (2018)
- Champion Hurdle – (1) Rooster Booster (2003)
- Queen Mother Champion Chase – (1) Flagship Uberalles (2002)
- Stayers’ Hurdle – (1) Anzum (1999)
- Triumph Hurdle – (3) Made in Japan (2004), Detroit City (2006), Defi du Seuil (2017)
- Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – (1) Menorah (2010)
- Champion Bumper – (1) Cheltenian (2011)
- Baring Bingham Novices’ Hurdle – (1) Massini’s Maguire (2007)
- Arkle Challenge Trophy – (1) Captain Chris (2011)
- RSA Insurance Novices’ Chase – (1) One Knight (2003)
- Centenary Novices’ Handicap Chase – (1) Copper Bleu (2010)
- Coral Cup – (1) Monkerhostin (2004)
- Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase – (2) Balthazar King (2012,2014)
- Fred Winter Juvenile Novices’ Handicap Hurdle – (1) Flying Tiger (2017)
- Pertemps Final – (1) Fingal Bay (2014)
- Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase – (2) Dark Stranger (2000), Young Spartacus (2003)
- County Handicap Hurdle – (1) Rooster Booster (2002)
Other notable races
- Tingle Creek Chase – (1) Flagship Uberalles (2000)
- Long Walk Hurdle – (4) Anzum (1999), Mighty Man (2006), Reve di Sivola (2012, 2013)
- Henry VIII Novices’ Chase – (1) Fair Along (2006)
- Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – (1) La Bague Au Roi (2018)
- Finale Juvenile Hurdle – (3) Franchoek (2007), Le Rocher (2013), Defi Du Seuil (2016)
- Challow Novices’ Hurdle (2) Fingal Bay (2012), Thyme Hill (2020)
- Ascot Chase – (1) Captain Chris (2014)
- Manifesto Novices’ Chase – (2) Wishfull Thinking (2011), Menorah (2012)
- Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices’ Hurdle – (2) Lord Brex (2000), Detroit City (2006)
- Betway Bowl – (1) Escartefigue (1998)
- Top Novices’ Hurdle – (5) Midnight Legend (1997), Phardante Flyer (2000), In Contrast (2002), Mighty Man (2005), Lalor (2018)
- Mildmay Novices’ Chase – (3) Spendid (1999), What’s Up Boys (2001), Native River (2016)
- Sefton Novices’ Hurdle – (2) Forest Ivory (1997), Saint Are (2011)
- Liverpool Hurdle – (2) Mighty Man (2006,2007)
- Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase – (1) Sporting John (2021)
- Irish Gold Cup – (2) Florida Pearl (2001,2004)
- Punchestown Gold Cup – (1) Planet of Sound (2010)
- Champion Stayers Hurdle – (1) Anzum (1999)
- Punchestown Champion Chase – (1) Flagship Uberalles (2003)
- Ladbrokes Champion Chase – (1) Looks Like Trouble (2000)
- Dr P. J. Moriarty Novice Chase – (1) La Bague Au Roi (2019)
- Herald Champion Novice Hurdle – (1) Midnight Legend (1997)
- Ryanair Novice Chase – (1) Captain Chris (2011)
- Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle – (2) What’s Up Boys (2000), Spirit of Adjisa (2011)
- Champion Four Year Old Hurdle – (1) Zafarabad (1998)
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