Gordon Richards Stakes - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Gordon Richards Stakes is a Group 3

Conditions races

Conditions races are horse races where the weights carried by the runners are laid down by the conditions attached to the race. Weights are allocated according to; the sex of the runners, with female runners carrying less weight than males; the age of the runners, with younger horses receiving...

flat

Flat racing

Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...

horse race

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

in Great Britain

Great Britain

Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...

which is open to thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

s aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards (2,018 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in April.

The event was established in 1963, and it was originally called the Westbury Stakes. It was renamed in memory of Sir Gordon Richards

Gordon Richards

Sir Gordon Richards was an English jockey, and is often considered the world's greatest ever jockey. He remains the only jockey to have been knighted....

(1904–1986), a highly successful flat racing jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

, in 1987. During his career Richards rode 4,870 winners, and he was Britain's Champion Jockey

British flat racing Champion Jockey

The Champion Jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a season. The list below shows the Champion Jockey and the number of winners for each year since 1840...

twenty-six times.

The Gordon Richards Stakes now takes place at a meeting which features both flat and jump races. Other events at this meeting include the Bet365 Gold Cup

Bet365 Gold Cup

The Bet365 Gold Cup is a Grade 3 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 3 miles and 5½ furlongs , and during its running there are twenty-four fences to be jumped...

, the Celebration Chase

Celebration Chase

The Celebration Chase is a Grade 2 National Hunt chase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of about 2 miles , and during its running there are thirteen fences to be jumped...

and the Sandown Mile

Sandown Mile

The Sandown Mile is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile and 14 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late April....

Records

Most successful horse (2 wins):

Chancellor – 2002, 2004

----
Leading jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

(4 wins):

Lester Piggott
Lester Piggott
Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....

– Sidon (1968), Never Return (1975), Gregorian (1980), Ivano (1983)

----
Leading trainer
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...

(7 wins):

Sir Michael Stoute
Michael Stoute
Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...

– Hard Fought (1981), Dolpour (1990), Singspiel (1996), Little Rock (2000), Ask (2008), Tartan Bearer (2009), Glass Harmonium (2010)

Winners since 1978

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Time
1978	Hot Grove	4	Willie Carson Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	Fulke Johnson Houghton
1979	Sexton Blake	4	Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen is a retired American jockey.Cauthen, the son of a trainer and a farrier, grew up in Walton, Kentucky around horses, which made race-riding a logical career choice. He rode his first race on May 12, 1976 at Churchill Downs; he finished last, riding King of Swat...	Barry Hills Barry Hills Barry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...
1980	Gregorian	4	Lester Piggott Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....	Vincent O'Brien Vincent O'Brien Dr. Michael Vincent O'Brien was an Irish race horse trainer from Churchtown, County Cork, Ireland. In 2003 he was voted the greatest influence in horse racing history, according to a worldwide vote hosted by the Racing Post newspaper...
1981	Hard Fought	4	Walter Swinburn Walter Swinburn Walter R. Swinburn is a retired flat racing jockey who competed in Great Britain and Ireland as well as internationally.Swinburn was born in Oxford...	Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...
1982	Princes Gate	5	Greville Starkey Greville Starkey Greville Starkey was an English jockey who rode almost 2,000 winners during a 33-year career on the flat.Starkey scaled the heights of his profession during his 33-year career in which he rode 1,989 winners on the Flat...	Harry Thomson Jones Harry Thomson Jones Harry Thomson Jones , often known as Tom Jones, was a British racehorse trainer whose career lasted from 1951 to 1996...
1983	Ivano	4	Lester Piggott Lester Piggott Lester Keith Piggott is a retired English professional jockey, popularly known as "The Long Fellow". With 4,493 career wins, including nine Epsom Derby victories, he is one of the most well-known English flat racing jockeys of all time....	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....
1984	Morcon	4	Willie Carson Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	Dick Hern Dick Hern William Richard "Dick" Hern, CVO, was an English Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and winner of sixteen British Classic Races between 1962 and 1995, and was Champion Trainer on four occasions....
1985	Elegant Air	4	John Matthias	Ian Balding Ian Balding Ian Balding emigrated with his family to England in 1945. He is the son of the polo player and racehorse trainer Gerald Barnard Balding, Sr. and the younger brother of trainer Toby Balding. Kingsclere became his home at the age of 26 and it is here that earned his reputation as an internationally...
1986	Supreme Leader	4	Philip Robinson Philip P. Robinson Philip Peter Robinson is an English flat racing jockey.The son of Peter Robinson, a jockey and trainer, he rode his first winner in 1978 at Great Yarmouth. He was British flat racing Champion Apprentice in 1979 and 1980. One of his most famous victories was his win on Pebbles, trained by Clive...	Clive Brittain Clive Brittain Clive Brittain is a British race-horse trainer. He began training as an apprentice in 1949, and on his own as a licensed trainer in the early 1970s. He currently trains at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk...	2:19.92
1987	Allez Milord	4	Greville Starkey Greville Starkey Greville Starkey was an English jockey who rode almost 2,000 winners during a 33-year career on the flat.Starkey scaled the heights of his profession during his 33-year career in which he rode 1,989 winners on the Flat...	Guy Harwood Guy Harwood Guy Harwood is a retired British racehorse trainer. Harwood was born in Pulborough, West Sussex, in 1939. Harwood began riding at the age of 18 and won 40 point-to-point races and 14 National Hunt races over the next few years...	2:06.30
1988	Infamy	4	Ray Cochrane Ray Cochrane Ray Cochrane is a retired horse racing jockey and current sports agent.He was the winning jockey in three of the five British Classic Races: the Oaks Stakes, 1,000 Guineas Stakes and Epsom Derby Stakes...	Luca Cumani Luca Cumani Luca M. Cumani is an Italian thoroughbred horse trainer. He has trained at Bedford House Stables in Newmarket, England since 1976...	2:14.33
1989	Indian Skimmer Indian Skimmer (horse) Indian Skimmer is a United Kingdom Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by MIT graduate Ronald J. Worswick in partnership with Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, the gray filly is out of the mare Nobilaire and sired by Storm Bird. Her grandsire was Northern Dancer, the top sire of the 20th Century and...	5	Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen Steve Cauthen is a retired American jockey.Cauthen, the son of a trainer and a farrier, grew up in Walton, Kentucky around horses, which made race-riding a logical career choice. He rode his first race on May 12, 1976 at Churchill Downs; he finished last, riding King of Swat...	Henry Cecil Henry Cecil Sir Henry Richard Amherst Cecil is a successful English horse racing trainer who has had many winners in the Epsom Derby, 1,000 Guineas and 2,000 Guineas, Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes....	2:18.57
1990	Dolpour	4	Walter Swinburn Walter Swinburn Walter R. Swinburn is a retired flat racing jockey who competed in Great Britain and Ireland as well as internationally.Swinburn was born in Oxford...	Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:05.24
1991	Noble Patriarch	4	John Reid John A. Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid John Andrew Reid (born August 6, 1955 in Banbridge County Down, Northern Ireland is a retired flat race jockey.Reid served as an apprentice in his native Ireland to Leslie Crawford, before moving to England and joining Verley Bewicke. His first Classic victory came...	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:07.23
1992	Dear Doctor	5	Cash Asmussen Cash Asmussen Cash Asmussen is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. Born Brian Keith Asmussen, in 1977 he legally changed his name to "Cash". From a Texas horse racing family, his parents, Keith and Marilyn "Sis" Asmussen, operate a ranch in Laredo, Texas...	John Hammond John E. Hammond John E. Hammond is a Thoroughbred horse trainer in France.Based in Chantilly, Oise, Hammond has trained numerous Group One winners including Montjeu and Suave Dancer both of whom won the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, France's most prestigious horse race...	2:07.42
1993	Ruby Tiger	6	Richard Quinn	Paul Cole Paul Cole Paul F. I. Cole is a British racehorse trainer. Since 1987 he has been based at Whatcombe Estate in Oxfordshire, the former stables of Dick Dawson and Arthur Budgett....	2:12.60
1994	Scribe	4	Willie Carson Willie Carson William Fisher Hunter Carson, OBE is a retired jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.-Life and career:Best known as "Miserable Willie", Carson was born in Stirling, Scotland. In 1957 he was apprenticed to Captain Gerald Armstrong at his stables at Tupgill, North Yorkshire...	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:21.92
1995	Prince of Andros	5	Jason Weaver Jason Weaver (jockey) Jason Weaver is a former British flat racing jockey who had much of his major success in the mid 1990s. In total, Weaver rode more than 1,000 winners in a career which spanned fourteen years.-Biography:...	David Loder David Loder David Loder is a retired trainer of Thoroughbred racehorses.David Loder is the son of Simon Loder, of the family of Loder Baronets, by Sandra Fleming, a descendant of Robert Fleming...	2:09.69
1996	Singspiel Singspiel (horse) Singspiel was an Irish-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. The Bay horse was out of the Eclipse Award winner and Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame mare, Glorious Song...	4	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:06.68
1997	Sasuru	4	Michael Hills	Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg was a Thoroughbred horse trainer who trained champion horses such as Teenoso and Jeune. He is the son of former jockey and trainer Harry Wragg, from whom he took over the licence at Abington Place, Newmarket in 1983 upon his father's retirement. Wragg retired in 2008 after 25 years of...	2:13.08
1998	Germano	5	Michael Hills	Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg was a Thoroughbred horse trainer who trained champion horses such as Teenoso and Jeune. He is the son of former jockey and trainer Harry Wragg, from whom he took over the licence at Abington Place, Newmarket in 1983 upon his father's retirement. Wragg retired in 2008 after 25 years of...	2:21.22
1999	Generous Rosi	4	Richard Quinn	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:13.03
2000	Little Rock	4	Kieren Fallon Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:20.69
2001	Island House	5	Darryll Holland Darryll Holland Darryll Paul Holland is a United Kingdom flat racing jockey who has ridden for trainers such as Luca Cumani, Geoff Wragg, and Mark Johnston....	Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg Geoff Wragg was a Thoroughbred horse trainer who trained champion horses such as Teenoso and Jeune. He is the son of former jockey and trainer Harry Wragg, from whom he took over the licence at Abington Place, Newmarket in 1983 upon his father's retirement. Wragg retired in 2008 after 25 years of...	2:21.90
2002	Chancellor	4	Michael Hills	Barry Hills Barry Hills Barry Hills is a British thoroughbred horse trainer. He lives in Lambourn, England.-Biography:Barry Hills had three sons in his first marriage: John, Michael, and Richard. John is a horse trainer, and both Michael and Richard are jockeys. After his divorce, he married Penny Hills, and had two more...	2:12.77
2003	Indian Creek	5	Richard Quinn	David Elsworth David Elsworth David Elsworth is a horse trainer living in the United Kingdom. He is perhaps best known for being the trainer of Desert Orchid, 1988 Grand National winner Rhyme 'n' Reason and 1990 Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Barnbrook Again - just three horses amongst a host of top-class performers over...	2:09.56
2004	Chancellor	6	Kieren Fallon Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon is a professional flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times....	John Dunlop John L. Dunlop John L. Dunlop is a successful race horse trainer based in Arundel, Sussex, with over 3000 winners between 1966 and 2002.He was the British flat racing Champion Trainer in 1995....	2:11.19
2005	Weightless	5	Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world...	Amanda Perrett Amanda Perrett Amanda Perrett is an English horse racing trainer and runs the Coombelands Racing Stables in Pulborough, West Sussex, England. Since she took over Coombelands in 1996 from her father, former champion trainer Guy Harwood, horses trained there have won over three hundred races and generated over...	2:08.90
2006	Day Flight	5	Richard Hughes Richard Hughes (jockey) Richard Hughes is an Irish flat jockey who most commonly rides in Great Britain. Born in Dublin, he is the son of successful National Hunt trainer, Dessie Hughes. His main provider of rides has been trainer Richard Hannon who is also his father in law andfrom 2001 to 2007 he was also retained by...	John Gosden John Gosden John Gosden is a racehorse trainer. Having trained over 2,000 winners since his return to England in 1989, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the King George, the 1,000 Guineas and the St. Leger, he is generally considered one of the most successful racehorse trainers of...	2:08.17
2007	Red Rocks Red Rocks (horse) Red Rocks is a Thoroughbred racehorse who competes internationally. Regally bred by Ballylinch Stud in County Kilkenny, he was sired by Galileo, a son of the fourteen-time Champion sire in Great Britain & Ireland, Sadler's Wells...	4	Frankie Dettori Frankie Dettori Lanfranco "Frankie" Dettori, MBE is an Italian horse racing jockey and celebrity. Dettori has been Champion Jockey on three occasions and has ridden the winners of more than 500 Group races.. He has had many successes in his role of stable jockey to Godolphin Racing...	Brian Meehan	2:09.16
2008	Ask	5	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:10.63
2009	Tartan Bearer Tartan Bearer Tartan Bearer is an Irish thoroughbred race horse. A colt of enormous talent, he never quite realised his potential due to injuries throughout his career. He raced eight times and won three of these, being placed on his other five starts...	4	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:08.65
2010	Glass Harmonium	4	Ryan Moore	Sir Michael Stoute Michael Stoute Sir Michael Ronald Stoute is a Barbadian British thoroughbred horse trainer in flat racing. Stoute, whose father was the Chief of police for Barbados, left the island in 1964 at the age of 19 to become an assistant to trainer Pat Rohan and began training horses on his own in 1972...	2:08.03
2011	Kings Gambit	7	Jamie Spencer Jamie Spencer Jamie Spencer is an Irish flat racing jockey currently riding in the UK. He has been champion jockey in both Ireland and Britain and has won four classics, two in each country. Spencer is widely regarded as one of the best, and most naturally talented, UK-based jockeys - despite not having a...	Tom Tate	2:08.01

Earlier winners

* The 1974 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

Records

Winners since 1978

Earlier winners

See also