Richard Johnson (jockey)

Richard Johnson (born July 21, 1977 in Hereford is an English National Hunt jockey. He comes from a racing family with his father being an amateur jockey and his mother, Sue Johnson, a successful trainer.

Richard became Champion Conditional Jockey in 1995, at the age of 18.

He has had great success at the Cheltenham Festival. His first win at Cheltenham was on Anzum in the 1999 Bonusprint Stayers' Hurdle. He won the 2000 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup with Looks Like Trouble and the 2002 Queen Mother Champion Chase with Flagship Uberalles. Richard was also victorious in the 2003 Smurfit Kappa Group Champion Hurdle with the Philip Hobbs-trained Rooster Booster on which he also came 2nd in 2004. He is the only jockey riding today to have won all four of those championship races at Cheltenham.

A major influence on Richard’s racing career was “The Duke” – David Nicholson who supported him in his bid to become a professional jockey. [http://www.richardjohnsonjockey.com/ Richard Johnson's web site]

In 2003, Richard became the eighth National Hunt jockey to ride 1,000 winners in Britain on Quedex at Stratford.

For five years Richard lived with the Queen's grand-daughter Zara Phillips, a relationship that created a great deal of media interest. The couple split in 2003 and Richard is now happily married to Philip Hobbs' daughter Natasha.

[ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/2946743.stm BBC SPORT | Other Sport | Horse Racing | Johnson rides 1,000th winner ] ]

References

External links

* http://www.britishhorseracing.com/goracing/racing/peopleinracing/jockeys/view.asp?item=000004 Richard Johnson Racing Profile