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Famous Racehorse Owners, Jockeys and Trainers

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horse and jockeyHorse owners, trainers, and jockeys are often bound together in the bond they share with their favourite racehorses, but they each have their own respective roles to play within the equestrian community. From a fan’s perspective, knowing who the top guns are can increase the accuracy of their predictions about upcoming races. Let’s get to know some of the most famous owners, trainers, and jockeys active in the UK next.

Owner: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Royal Family has always been closely associated with all things equine and the Queen herself is an extremely prolific racehorse owner. She leased her first horse from the National Stud in 1952 (the same year she became the queen) and today, most of the Queen’s successful racehorses are thoroughbreds from her own stables.

In fact, she was inducted into the QIPCO British Champions Series Hall of Fame in 2021 for being a lifelong owner and special supporter of the sport. More than 1,700 thoroughbreds sporting the purple, gold, and scarlet emblem have won top tier races ever since she was crowned. The only British Classic she has not managed to win yet is the Epsom Derby, but that can change on her 70th year as the queen in 2022. It has been a long while, but Queen Elizabeth II did also win the British Flat Racing Champion Owner Title twice (1954 & 1957).

Owner: Sir Alex Ferguson

This legendary football coach and club manager is one of the most celebrated names to be associated with thoroughbred horse racing. Some of his more famous horses were/are What a Friend, Last Three Minutes and Rock of Gibraltar.

Jockey: Ryan Moore

Always the first choice of trainer Aidan O’Brien, Ryan Moore is globally considered to be one of the best flat race jockeys of all time. Just check out some of the legend’s highlight achievements next.

  • 3-time UK Champion Jockey (2006, 2008 & 2009)
  • Won over 2,000 races in the UK alone, including the Ascot Gold Cup (2), the 2000 Guineas (2), the Coronation Cup (3), and the Epsom Derby Stakes (2) to name a few
  • Won the prestigious W.S. Cox Plate (2014) and the Melbourne Cup (2014) in Australia
  • Won the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in France twice (2010 & 2016)
  • Won the Japan Cup (2013) and the Champions Cup (2017) in Japan
  • Won the Dubai Sheema Classic in 2014 and the Al Quoz Sprint at the Dubai World Cup in 2021
  • Won the Belmont Oaks (2018 & 2021), the Belmont Derby (2021), and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (2008, 2009, 2013 & 2015) in the US
  • Won numerous other major and minor races across the planet

Jockey: Brian Hughes

Expected to be a favourite jockey at Cheltenham Festival in 2022, Brian Hughes is leading the British Champion Jockey (Jump Jockey) table in 2021 by a longshot. With an incredible 22% S/R after 477 races, Hughes’ 105 wins has already assured him the title for 2021. The Irish jockey’s fame started to spread especially after winning the Ascot Chase in 2018.

Trainer: Aidan Patrick O’Brien

This Irish thoroughbred trainer is an internationally known name, closely associated with the Coolmore Stud Group. He is one of the best horse trainers active today and has trained too many champion horses at the Ballydoyle to keep count! Nevertheless, some of the most famous champion horses he trained are Dylan Thomas, Desert King, Istabraq, Australia, Adelaide, Magic Wand, Magical, Found, and Rock of Gibraltar among others.

His trained horses have earned him numerous wins at the 1000 Guineas, the 2000 Guineas, the Ascot Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle, the Coronation Cup, the Epsom Derby Stakes, the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, and the W.S. Cox Plate to name just a few.

Trainer: Mark Johnston

Mark Johnston is the most successful flat racehorse trainer in the history of the sport with 4,200+ wins to his name! He trains most of his horses from his own company (Mark Johnston Racing Ltd.) stables, which continues to train thoroughbreds with astounding success rates. Some of his most famous wins came when:

  • Mister Baileys won the 2000 Guineas in 1994
  • Fruits of Love won the Dubai Sheema Classic in 1999
  • Attraction won the Coronation Stakes, the 1000 Guineas, the Irish 1000 Guineas, and the Matron Stakes in 2004
  • Subjectivist won the Prix Royal-Oak in 2020
  • Three of his horses won the Ascot Gold Cup four times for him: Double Trigger (1995), Royal Rebel (2001, 2002), Subjectivist (2021)

These are some of the most famous and successful owners, trainers and jockeys in the United Kingdom today. However, Robert Sangster deserves a special mention here as an owner, since he was the last British citizen to have been titled as the British Flat Racing Champion Owner of the Year (1977 – 78 & 1982 – 84).

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