News

WINNING SHOW: (far side) training charge provided Chris Gordon with last ride
photo: Mark Cranham

Our series of profiles on ex-Riders returns, focusing first of all Chris Gordon, now a licensed Trainer.

Chris Gordon originally retired from race-riding in 2007, his final ride that year being Glacial Evening, who finished fourth in a Folkestone Hunter Chase. However, he made a brief comeback a year ago to partner Winning Show at Towcester. "I turned him over three from home, so decided that was it," he said. He and his wife Jenny were South East Area champions on numerous occasions.

Where are you based? Morestead, a small village two miles south of Winchester in Hampshire.

For how many years did you ride and how many winners did you partner? About 20 seasons, in which I rode over 150 winners; 141 of those were in Point-to-Points.

Why did you retire from race riding? Because it was interfering with my drinking and my nerve was failing me.

What is your job or profession? I've been a licensed trainer for two years.

First winner - name the horse, owner and trainer, the date & the course: City Boy [the 1985 Aintree Fox Hunter winner], owned by Jo Mann and trained by Anne Farrant, in the Land Rover Open at Bexhill in 1987. I walked the track with Anne's husband John, who told me what I should be doing at any one point; luckily it worked out.

Apart from the first winner, what was your most memorable ride? Having a spin round Aintree on Itsmyturnnow in 2004 - we finished 12th behind Forest Gunner. Jen was riding Bitofamixup - I think we were the first husband and wife to compete in the race.

We went out to dinner with Mike Roberts [owner of both horses] the night before and when I asked him what I should do, he said "Do the **** what you like!" I went as fast as I could, but started to drop back after Bechers so we just hacked home. The main thing I remember is that I wore one of the helmet cameras - and got paid £300 for it!

Of which horses do you have particularly fond memories? I have lots of fond memories of many different horses. The ones that give you as much as they can were always the fun ones to ride for me, irrespective of the ability they had (the same would apply to old girlfriends).

What do you miss about no longer riding? I still get the odd urge to ride every now and then, but that's a mid-life crisis thing, so on the whole, nothing.

Which were your favourite courses? I loved them all!

Which particular horse would you like to ride in a race now? Kauto Star, but I'm happy to watch him on television.

What car do you drive? A Shogun - it's the only nice car I've ever had.

Name your perfect night in & perfect night out: When the missus goes out/when the missus stays in.

Where do you like to go on holiday? Turkey. I can leave Jen by the pool and go off into the mountains on a motorbike.

What's your favourite kind of music? Our son Freddie, aged four, loves the Wurzels. After listening to them for the past two years I'm beginning to appreciate their huge gift to pop music!

What are your favourite films and TV programmes? Gladiators and Braveheart, and RedTube on the net!

Are you still involved with Point-to-Pointing in any way? Yes, Jen trains Pointers.

What has been your own funniest incident, or the most amusing thing you have seen or heard at the races? It was when Jen rode in a two-horse race at Charing. The other horse jumped to the right with a circuit to go, crashing into Jen's horse; both girls were unseated. The two horses b******d off to the horsebox park and took a while to be caught by the Hunt staff.

When they were retrieved and returned to the spot of the incident, I threw Jen up and told her to kick on, but she was told by the officials (totally wrongly) that she had to wait until the other horse was re-saddled as the two must start again together. Luckily it had a happy ending, with Jen winning by a neck in a time of 13 minutes on fast ground!

Who were (or still are) your biggest heroes in racing? Lots in the past, but currently Alan King, Paul Nicholls and Tony McCoy.

Who do you consider to be the most promising young riders in Pointing today? I don't really watch enough to be able to comment generally, but Claire Douglas, who has Big Moment in training with Jen, rides very well for a Novice.

What are the biggest changes you have seen in the sport over the years? Are there any others you would like to see brought in? I think pony racing has got to be a good thing. There will be no Pointing unless you have riders coming through the system, which was a big problem in some areas.

Back to Top