| When did you first sit on a horse? |
| I think at
the tender age of 4, on one of my parent’s horses at home. |
| What was your First Winner? |
| Rusty
Bridge, bred & trained by my grandfather, Keith Johnson. We
won the appropriately named ‘Next Generation Hunters’ Chase’
at Hereford - winning by a head at 25/1 on 30th April 1994. My
father won on Rusty Bridge’s mother, Bridge Ash in the
Midlands Derby at Uttoxeter a few years before. |
| Most memorable moments in racing? |
I have a
few… one of them riding my first Cheltenham Festival winner,
which was on Anzum in 1999, when we won the Bonusprint Stayers
Hurdle at 40/1. The moment was even more poignant as the horse
was trained by David Nicholson (aka “The Duke”) in his last
year as trainer.
Winning the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham
on Rooster Booster in 2002, trained by Phillip Hobbs.
Winning the Gold Cup at Cheltenham in 2000
on Looks Like Trouble, trained by Noel Chance.
Winning the Queen Mother Champion Chase in
2002 on Flagship Uberalles, again trained by Philip Hobbs.
|
| Worst moment in racing? |
| Any day when a jockey or horse gets injured. |
| Favourite racecourse and why |
| Cheltenham for the atmosphere during the Festival. |
| Favourite racehorse and why |
Daring
Bridge, a homebred horse of my mothers, who won 15 races and
of course Rooster Booster.
|
| Which horse would you of loved to ride and why? |
| Istabraq - a real class act. |
| Person you most admire in racing |
| David
Nicholson, “The Duke” – a person who I owe a great deal to as
he helped me tremendously with my racing career … and still
does! |
| If you could be another sportsman, who would it be? |
| Johnny Wilkinson. |
| If you could change anything in Racing what would it be? |
| Race
planning – which is sometimes frustrating. For example racing
at Perth one day and Newton Abbot the next! |
| What advice would you give to any budding jockeys? |
| Learn
the basics of riding and try to gain as much experience as you
can from the older jockeys. |
| Who has been most influential in your racing career? |
| “The Duke”! |
| If you could invite 4 people to dinner, who would you invite? |
| Bill Gates, Martin Pipe, Michael Parkinson & George Best. |
| What do you do to relax? |
| Play golf and spend time at my parent’s farm. |
| What ambitions do you have? |
| To be
Champion Jockey! |
