JOHN GOSDEN FACTFILE

JOHN GOSDEN FACTFILE

John Gosden was born on March 30, 1951, the son of trainer Towser Gosden. Towser Gosden trained at Lewes, close to Goodwood, before moving to Heath House in Newmarket. He combined training both flat and jump horses, with his best performer being the 1960 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes victor Aggressor, while he also handled the 1966 Derby winner Charlottown during his juvenile career.

After Cambridge University, John Gosden served as assistant to Sir Noel Murless from 1974 to 1975 and Vincent O’Brien from 1976 to 1977, where he was involved with great horses such as The Minstrel.

In 1980 he then embarked a successful training career in America, winning the 1984 Breeders’ Cup Mile with Royal Heroine and sending out Bates Motel to Grade One victories in the Monmouth Handicap, San Antonio Handicap and Santa Anita Handicap among many big-race wins.

In 1988 he took out his first licence in Britain and established himself as a leading trainer on these shores at Newmarket, having his best season in 1992 when he recorded 113 wins. Gosden has made a notable impression in the Vodafone Derby, filling two of the places in 1995, training subsequent St Leger winner Shantou to finish third in 1996 and then having a first success in the Classic courtesy of Benny The Dip in 1997.

His third British Classic success was with Lahan in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket in 2000, the first season that Gosden trained at the famous Manton Estate in Wiltshire. He was previously based at Newmarket in Stanley House Stables and returned to headquarters after the 2005 season and is now settled at Clarehaven Stables on the Bury Road.
His initial Goodwood winner came at the Festival meeting when Thakib was successful in the Surplice Stakes on August 4, 1990. Exactly 17 years later he will be hoping for his biggest success at Goodwood when Nannina runs in the Group One Blue Square Nassau Stakes on Saturday, August 4, 2007.

The race looks like being a hot one, with French challenger Mandesha and the two fillies who have fought out the finish of the English and Irish Oaks, Light Shift and Peeping Fawn, also among the likely participants in the near 10-furlong event.

Gosden won the Blue Square Nassau Stakes in 1997 with Ryafan when it was a Group Two event. He has had 25 winners at Glorious Goodwood and 100 winners in all at the Sussex track.

Other good horses to have been trained by Gosden include the champion sprinter Oasis Dream, Irish Champion Stakes winner Muhtarram, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes victor Observatory, Prix Maurice de Gheest heroine May Ball, Golden Jubilee Stakes scorer Malhub, Coronation Stakes victor Nannina and Challenge Stakes winner Sleeping Indian. His list of owners includes Sheikh Mohammed, Hamdan Al Maktoum, the Sangster family, George Strawbridge, Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, William Farish, Khalid Abdulla, Princess Haya of Jordan, Cheveley Park Stud and Lady Lloyd-Webber.

He is married to Rachel Hood, a barrister and vice president of the Racehorse Owners’ Association. The couple have four children.

ENDS