Callum Shepherd（born 1997）is a

Group race Group races, also known as Pattern races, or Graded races in some jurisdictions, are the highest level of races in Thoroughbred horse racing. They include most of the world's iconic races, such as, in Europe, the Derby, Irish Derby and Prix de l'A ...

winning British jockey who competes in flat racing.

Background

Shepherd was born in Brighton, in 1997, the son of two lawyers. He took part in pony racing, and rode out for trainers during school holidays. He left Lancing College after taking his GCSEs, and became apprenticed to trainer Charlie Hills in Lambourn.

Racing career

In 2020, Shepherd moved from Lambourn to

Newmarket, Suffolk Newmarket is a market town and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located (14 miles) west of Bury St Edmunds and (14 miles) northeast of Cambridge. It is considered the birthplace and global centre of thoroughbred hor ...

, having been retained by owners the Gredley family. That season he rode 77 winners. He had his first opportunity to ride in a Group 1 race and a British Classic in the 2021 Oaks on Save A Forest, a 40/1 outsider owned by the Gredley family and trained by

Roger Varian Roger Varian is a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer, based at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, Suffolk. Riding career Varian moved to the United States as a teenager and found employment as a work rider at Hollywood Park. On his return to t ...

. The pair came fourth, and then went on to win the listed

Chalice Stakes The Chalice Stakes is a Listed flat horse race in Great Britain open to mares and fillies aged three years or older. It is run at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs (2,414 metres), and it is sched ...

at Newmarket the following month. During the winter of 2023/24 Shepherd rode in

Bahrain Bahrain ( ; ; ar, البحرين, al-Bahrayn, locally ), officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, ' is an island country in Western Asia. It is situated on the Persian Gulf, and comprises a small archipelago made up of 50 natural islands and an ...

, where his successes included winning the Bahrain Triple Crown on Isle of Jura for trainer George Scott. In May 2024, he achieved his first victory in a Group race when Seven Questions, trained by Scott, won the Group 3

Palace House Stakes The Palace House Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres) on the Rowley ...

at Newmarket. The same month, he won the Lingfield Derby Trial on Ambiente Friendly for trainer James Fanshawe and was looking forward to a first ride in the

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

on the same horse but was disappointed when the Gredley owners opted for the more experienced Robert Havlin. Ambiente Friendly went on to take second place in the Derby, having started as second favourite. Shepherd secured his first

Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...

success in 2024, when he partnered Isle of Jura to victory in the Group 2

Hardwicke Stakes The Hardwicke Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 211 yards (2,406 metres), and ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepherd, Callum Living people 1997 births People from East Sussex British jockeys