Richard Johnson

Richard Johnson rode his first winner, Rusty Bridge, at Hereford in 1994 and was Champion Conditional Jockey in 1995/96, the same year that A.P. McCoy became Champion Jockey for the first time. Thereafter, Johnson was involved in a perennial – and, while amiable, ultimately losing – battle with the Northern Irishman for the jockeys’ championship until his retirement in 2015. McCoy went on to become Champion Jockey a record 20 consecutive times, with Johnson finishing runner-up to his nemesis on no fewer than 16 occasions.

However, Johnson who, at the time of writing, recently reached the landmark of 3,500 winners when He’s A Goer won a novices’ hurdle at Warwick, was Champion Jockey for the first time in 2015/16 and collected the jockeys’ championship trophy for the third year running at Sandown Park at the end of the 2017/18 season. While acknowledging the ambitions of younger jockeys – not least Harry Skelton who, at the time of writing, lies second in the Stobart Jump Jockeys’ Championship – Johnson, 41, has described the absence of his great friend, and former great rival, A.P. McCoy, as a ‘bonus’.

Johnson still has some way to go to catch McCoy as the most successful National Hunt jockey of all time, but appears to be riding at least as well, if not better, as he has at any point during his phenomenal 24-year career. In the last three seasons, he has averaged exactly 200 winners on British soil and, with 118 to his name already in 2018/19, a fourth consecutive jockeys’ championship title looks a distinct possibility.

Of course, in March, 2018, Johnson won the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for the second time, on Native River, trained by Colin Tizzard, adding to his previous victory aboard Looks Like Trouble, trained by Noel Chance, 18 years earlier. Other career highlights at the Cheltenham Festival include Anzum in the Stayers’ Hurdle in 1999, Flagship Uberalles in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2002 and Rooster Booster in the Champion Hurdle in 2003. However, the Grand National, in which Johnson has ridden 20 times, without success, remains elusive, although he did finish second in the world famous steeplechase on Balthazar King in 2014.

Ryan Moore

Ryan Moore is a household name in the sport of racing. The Brighton born flat racing jockey has been champion jockey on multiple occasions (2006, 2008, 2009) and has won many competitive, prestige races during his career.

Moore appears to have racing in his blood, on account that his grandfather Charlie Moore was a successful trainer, his father, Gary L Moore, a former jockey and trainer, and three of his siblings are successful jockeys in their own right (Jamie, Joshua and Hayley Moore). Taking all of that in account, it would perhaps have been a surprise if he hadn’t himself become a jockey. (though he did initially desire a career in football and had trials with Brighton and Hove!)

Under the tutelage of his grandfather he had a couple of wins, and looked to be keeping up the family tradition. His grandfather passed away before seeing Moore become the titan of racing that he eventually became, but Moore often speaks fondly of the fact that he at least got to see him win.

Moore’s first major win came in the Cesarewitch Handicap in 2002 for Martin Pipe, and while 2003 was something of a barren year, that all changed in 2004 when he won over 100 races and topped £1 million in prize money. In the years that followed Moore rode very often for Sir Michael Stoute, where he won his first group one race (Juddmonte International at York ) and Champion jockey title. In 2009/10 he won King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (on Conduit), and the Derby and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (on Workforce).

Ryan Moore would eventually go on to race for Aidan O’Brien, winning the 1000 Guineas in 2012 (on Homecoming Queen) and the Derby the following year on Ruler of the World. He’s had plenty of International success too, winning the Australian Cox Plate in 2013 on Adelaide and the Belmont Oaks in 2018 on Athena, to name but two of his many wins abroad. With over 2000 wins to his name this flat racing supremo has little more to prove in the sport.

Jamie Spencer

Jamie Spencer is an Irish flat racing jockey who has experienced success both at home and in the Britain, and has been crowned champion jockey in both territories. His trademark style is to hold up a horse, then surge through using their natural speed late in the race. It’s a manner of racing that has made him both exciting to watch and a firm favourite of many racing fans.

As is common with many jockeys, Spencer comes from racing. His own father was a successful National Hunt trainer, who went on to win the 1963 Champion Hurdle with Winning Fair. Spencer wasted little time in making a name for himself in the sport too, with a win in the Irish 1000 Guineas at just 17 years of age. The following year be had close to 50 wins under his belt.

Successes in Britain soon followed, with a win on Brian Boru in the 2003 St Leger. Moving here in 2005 he became British Flat Racing Champion Jockey that very same year – a nice addition to his Irish flat racing Champion Jockey title which had come a year prior. He picked up the British title again in 2007.

Riding for various trainers over the years including Aidan O’Brien, Michael Bell, Kevin Ryan and Paul Cole and Qatar Racing, he has displayed consistent excellence with over 2000 wins over the flat. These include the Investec Oaks-Irish Oaks double (2009), Ascot Gold Cup (2011), the 1000 and 2000 Guineas on Just the Judge and Glory Awaits respectively (2012) and multiples British Champions Day wins.

In late 2018, he treated punters at Yarmouth racecourse to a five timer by winning on Terri Rules (9/2), Red Bunting (7/4), Encryption (6/4), Choco Box (evens), and Human Nature (11-4) at the course on the same day. Unfortunately for accumulator fans his one other ride of the day Tripartite was all out of luck!

Ruby Walsh

Ruby Walsh is an Irish jockey of some acclaim. In his career he’s amassed over 2500 wins and has won just about everything there is to win. In part this can be put down to his own racing pedigree, on account that he’s the son of former champion jockey Ted Walsh.

Ruby, or Rupert to use his birthname, wasted no time in getting involved in racing. At the tender age of 18, County Kildare born Walsh was already well on his way, and won the Irish amateur jockey title two years (1996/7, 1997/8) in a row before turning professional. To say that he came on leaps and bounds from there is something of an understatement, on account that in the year 2000 he won the jewel in the racing crown, The Aintree Grand National, on Papillon. Papillon, a horse trained by Ruby Walsh’s father was by no means a favourite (starting at 33-1 before being backed in) and so this was quite some achievement for Walsh who was still only 20. The same year the father-son duo won the Irish Grand National too.

In 2004/2005, Walsh went one National better, winning the Irish Grand National (on Numbersixvalverde), the Welsh (on Silver Birch) and the English (on Hedgehunter). he was narrowly beaten in the Scottish Grand National the same year.

This alone is an amazing achievement, but he’s also made serious inroads into becoming something of a Cheltenham Festival legend. In fact he’s accumulated a staggering 58 winners at the Festival. There’s not much he hasn’t ticked off the list, with highlights being winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 2004, 2008 and 2009, and the Cheltenham Gold Cup twice with Kauto Star – in 2007 and 2009 – the first time a horse has reclaimed the title. He’s been leading jockey at the Cheltenham Festival on 11 separate occasions. One less than the number of times he’s been made Irish Jump Jockey champion.

The Tingle Creek Chase, King George VI Chase, Champion Hurdle, Hennessy Gold Cup, Walsh has won and done it all. He’s suffered injuries over the years but always came back from them and at age 39 he still seems to have plenty of gas in the tank.