Sir Gordon Richards (5 May 1904 – 10 November 1986) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

. He was the

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. The seasonal record of jockeys' ...

26 times and is often considered the world's greatest jockey ever. He remains the only flat jockey to have been

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

ed.

Early life

Gordon Richards was brought up in the

Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to th ...

village of Donnington Wood (now part of

Telford Telford () is a town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, about east of Shrewsbury, south west of Stafford, north west of Wolverhampton and from Birmingham in the same direction. With an est ...

) where he was born at Ivy Row (now demolished),Article by Toby Neal, part of series on Midlands worthies. the third son of eight surviving children of coal miner Nathan and former dressmaker Elizabeth. His mother was the daughter of another miner, William Dean, who was also a lay preacher and Richards was given a strict

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

upbringing. The family later moved during his childhood to

Wrockwardine Wood Wrockwardine Wood (pronounced "Rock-war-dine") was originally a detached piece of woodland, then a township, formerly belonging to the manor and parish of Wrockwardine. Wrockwardine is located approximately 7 miles west from Wrockwardine Wood. ...

where they lived in a row of cottages called The Limes, Plough Road, built on land bought by his mother. His father reared several pit ponies at their home, and fostered the young Richards' love of equestrian sport. He rode the ponies bareback from an early age, then from the age of seven drove the pony and trap passenger service his family ran between Wrockwardine Wood and Oakengates station. It is said that this is when he developed his unique riding style, using a long rein and an upright stance. He had two brothers, Colin and Clifford, who shared this love of horses and also became jockeys: the latter was a

Classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

winning jockey.

Career

Leaving school at the age of 13, he became a junior clerk in the warehouse of the nearby

Lilleshall Company The Lilleshall Company was a large engineering company in Oakengates Shropshire founded in 1802. Its operations included mechanical engineering, coal mining, iron and steel making and brickworks. The company was noted for its winding, pumping and ...

engineering works, sometimes riding a pony to work. He found work as a clerk monotonous and already held ambitions of a career with horses. He answered a newspaper advertisement to be an apprentice to Martin Hartigan, trainer at the Foxhill Stable near

Swindon, Wiltshire Swindon () is a town and unitary authority with borough status in Wiltshire, England. As of the 2021 Census, the population of Swindon was 201,669, making it the largest town in the county. The Swindon unitary authority area had a population ...

, owned by Jimmy White, and on New Year's Day 1920 left home to move there. His riding skills were soon noticed by his new employer, who gave him his first ride in a race at

Lincoln Lincoln most commonly refers to: * Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States * Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England * Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S. * Lincol ...

on 16 October 1920, after a deal struck during a football match against the neighbouring Osbourne Stables. White had bet on his stable to win, and the match stood at three all when his team were awarded a penalty. White insisted that Richards take it, with the incentive that he would ride at Lincoln the next day if he scored. He did, and got to ride the horse, called Clock-Work. He weighed out at 6 stone 9 pounds. His first win came the following season - Gay Lord at

Leicester Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands. The city l ...

on 31 March 1921. He soon became known by the nickname of "Moppy", for his thick, black hair.

First championship

His apprenticeship at Foxhill lasted until 1924, when he moved to become first jockey to Captain Thomas Hogg, based at Russley Park, Wiltshire. That first season as a fully-fledged professional, 1925, he became Champion Jockey for the first time, with 118 wins. Early in the following year, however, he contracted

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, in ...

, which put his burgeoning career in jeopardy. Following diagnosis, he spent the rest of the year in a Norfolk sanitorium. While he was recuperating, he met fellow patient Bill Rowell, who was to have a major influence on his life. Rowell became a friend and mentor, teaching the young jockey how to cope with wealth, and his increasing fame among high society in Britain's inter-war class system. In Richards' absence from riding,

Tommy Weston Thomas Weston (2 August 1890 – 1952) was a footballer who played in the Football League for Aston Villa and Stoke. Career Weston was born in Halesowen and played for several amateur sides before joining Aston Villa in 1911. He soon estab ...

won the championship but by December, he had returned to the saddle and in 1927, regained his title with 164 winners, and following up in 1928 and 1929. By now, shipping magnate

William Tatem, 1st Baron Glanely William James Tatem, 1st Baron Glanely (6 March 1868 – 28 June 1942), known as Sir William Tatem, Bt, between 1916 and 1918, was a Cardiff ship-owner and thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder. Career Tatem was born in Appledore, North D ...

retained his services. Hogg had become his private trainer, in Newmarket. For Glanely, he won his first classics - the 1930 Oaks on Rose of England and the 1930

St Leger The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a d ...

Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...

- although he narrowly missed out on a fourth successive title to Freddie Fox. As the season drew to a close, he won the

November Handicap The November Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile 3 furlongs and 197 yards (2,393 metre ...

for Glanely on Glorious Devon, putting him one ahead of Fox, but Fox won the fourth and fifth races to overhaul him.

Fred Darling

After retaking the championship in 1931 with 141 winners, he was made a substantial offer to become stable jockey to

Fred Darling Frederick Darling (1884–1953) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer who trained a record-equalling seven English Derby winners. Darling's father, Sam Darling senior, was a trainer at Beckhampton, near Avebury in Wiltshire, who train ...

. Richards offered Glanely the chance to match it, but he declined. The move proved fruitful, and in his first season he scored 259 victories, breaking

Fred Archer Fred or Frederick Archer may refer to: * Fred Archer (jockey) (1857–1886), English jockey * Fred R. Archer (1889–1963), photographer and co-inventor of the photographic Zone System * Frederick Scott Archer (1813–1857), inventor of the photogr ...

's long standing record for the greatest number of wins in a year and becoming a national hero in the process. This included 11 consecutive victories at Chepstow in early October, as he closed in on Archer's target of 246, finally surpassing that total on Golden King at Liverpool on 8 November. He would break the record again himself in 1947, and retain it for nearly 50 years. Throughout the 1930s, he came frustratingly close to winning a first

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 ...

. In 1934, he rode Easton into second, and in 1936 was unlucky on Taj Akbar for the

Aga Khan Aga Khan ( fa, آقاخان, ar, آغا خان; also transliterated as ''Aqa Khan'' and ''Agha Khan'') is a title held by the Imām of the Nizari Ismāʿīli Shias. Since 1957, the holder of the title has been the 49th Imām, Prince Shah Karim ...

, being badly hampered before again finishing second, this time to the Aga Khan's second string Mahmoud. In 1938, Darling's two horses were Pasch, on which Richards had won the

2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

and French import

Bois Roussel Bois Roussel (1935–1955) was a French-bred Thoroughbred champion horse racing, racehorse and a leading broodmare sire (horse), sire. He won the 1938 Epsom Derby on his second racecourse appearance. Background He was named for Haras du Bois-Rou ...

. Richards stayed loyal to Pasch, and finished third to Bois Roussel. His bad luck in the race was becoming proverbial. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Richards was not required to serve in the armed forces on account of his prior tuberculosis. This meant he could keep riding, adding further titles in 1939 and 1940, but missing out again (to

Harry Wragg Harry Wragg (10 June 1902 – 20 October 1985) was a British jockey and racehorse trainer, who gained the nickname "The Head Waiter" due to his "come from behind" riding style. In a 27-year riding career, Wragg rode over 1700 winners in Britain ...

this time) after he broke a leg at

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

in May 1941. On

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until Death and state funeral of George VI, his death in 1952. ...

's Sun Chariot in 1942, he won the Fillies' Triple Crown of 1,000 Guineas, Oaks and St Leger. He also won the substitute 2,000 Guineas for the king on Big Game on the way to another championship. In 1943, he became the winningmost jockey in British history, surpassing Archer's career total of 2748 winners on Scotch Mist at

Windsor Windsor may refer to: Places Australia * Windsor, New South Wales ** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area * Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland **Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...

and took a 16th championship. At Newmarket in 1947, he won the

2,000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) and scheduled to take place each year at ...

aboard

Tudor Minstrel Tudor Minstrel (1944–1971) was a British-bred Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. In a career which lasted from the spring of 1946 until September 1947 he ran ten times and won eight races. He was unbeaten in four races in 1946, a year in wh ...

by 8 lengths, the largest winning margin in the race since 1900. It was described shortly afterwards as "possibly the greatest feat in racing." As heavily-backed favourite for the Derby, the horse seemed set to break Richards' hoodoo in the race. However, he failed to stay and finished fourth. This did not stop Richards' march to a twentieth championship with the record-breaking total of 269 winners. His partnership with Fred Darling lasted 16 years, until the trainer retired. Richards said of him, "I unhesitatingly describe him as a genius. There has been no trainer like him and there will never be another." Sir Noel Murless took over the stable at Beckhampton and Richards continued on as stable jockey. His greatest horse for Murless, was grey sprinter Abernant, dual winner of the

Nunthorpe Stakes The Nunthorpe Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged two years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 5 furlongs (1,006 metres), and it is sched ...

Later career and knighthood

Despite the successes, the Derby still eluded him. The 1953 race occurred on a week of great national, and personal celebration for Richards himself, as he became the first (and to date only) jockey to receive a knighthood. On being awarded the knighthood, he memorably joked, "I never dreamed I'd end up being the shortest knight of the year." It was awarded "as much in recognition of his exemplary integrity as of his professional achievement". This time Sir Gordon rode

Pinza Pinza (1950–1977) was a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted just over a year– from July 1952 until July 1953– he ran seven times and won five races. He was the best British colt of his generation in 1953, ...

, a huge horse for a flat-thoroughbred at 16 hands high, and he rode a terrific race. Pinza was in second position through much of the one and half-mile (2414 m) course, competing against the

Queen Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...

's own horse Aureole, and sweeping past the Aga Khan III's horse, Shikampur, into first place with just two furlongs remaining. The long-awaited win was accompanied by thunderous cheers from the frenzied crowd. Winning The Derby at what was to be his final attempt was undoubtedly Sir Gordon's crowning victory, and he was promptly summoned from the winners' enclosure to be congratulated by the Queen. A little over a year later, he broke his pelvis and four ribs when being thrown by Abergeldie in the

Sandown Park Sandown Park is a horse racing course and leisure venue in Esher, Surrey, England, located in the outer suburbs of London. It hosts 5 Grade One National Hunt races and one Group 1 flat race, the Eclipse Stakes. It regularly has horse rac ...

paddock on 10 July 1954. This enforced his retirement. He had ridden 4,870 winners from 21,843 rides and been champion jockey twenty-six times. Following his retirement he declined an offer to stand for

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

candidate for his native Wrekin constituency.

Training career

Subsequently, Richards trained at Beckhampton and Ogbourne Maizey in Wiltshire, and finally Whitsbury, Hampshire. His training career was less stellar than his riding one, but not without success. His main owners were the partnership of Sir Michael Sobell and his son-in-law

Lord Weinstock Arnold Weinstock, Baron Weinstock, Kt. OMRI, (29 July 1924 – 23 July 2002) was an English industrialist and businessman known for making General Electric Company one of Britain's most profitable companies. The City criticized Weinstock fo ...

. They placed their first horse, London Cry, with Richards in 1957 and he went on to win the Cambridgeshire Handicap of 1958. Richards also trained Pipe Of Peace, the champion two-year-old colt of 1956. The Sobell/Weinstock owned colt

Reform Reform ( lat, reformo) means the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The use of the word in this way emerges in the late 18th century and is believed to originate from Christopher Wyvill#The Yorkshire Associati ...

was probably his finest horse, winning 11 of his 14 starts including the

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

St James's Palace Stakes The St James's Palace Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old colts. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlongs and 213 yards (1,603 metres). It is sched ...

and the

Sussex Stakes The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and ...

. He also trained for

Lady Beaverbrook Marcia Anastasia Aitken, Baroness Beaverbrook (''née'' Christoforides, previously Lady Dunn; 27 July 1909 – 28 October 1994) was a British philanthropist, an art collector, and racehorse owner. Early life and first marriage Born in Sutton, ...

when she took up her interest in racing. An early owner was

Dorothy Paget Dorothy Wyndham Paget (21 February 1905 – 9 February 1960) was a British racehorse owner and sponsor of motor racing. Early life Paget was the daughter of Lord Queenborough and Pauline Payne Whitney of the American Whitney family. She was ...

and when she died he was an influence in Sobell and Weinstock purchasing her stud (

Ballymacoll Stud Ballymacoll Stud is a Thoroughbred stud farm of 300 acres in County Meath, Ireland. It is located in the townland of Ballymacoll, approximately two miles from the village of Dunboyne and four miles (6 km) from the town of Maynooth. Under th ...

), breeding and racing stock. His stable jockey for much of his training career was

Scobie Breasley Arthur Edward "Scobie" Breasley (7 May 1914 – 21 December 2006) was an Australian jockey. He won the Caulfield Cup in Melbourne five times: 1942-45 consecutively on Tranquil Star, Skipton, Counsel and St Fairy; then on Peshawar in 1952. ...

and when he retired

Edward Hide Edward Hide (born 12 April 1937) is a retired multiple classic winning British jockey. He was, for a time at his peak, the sixth most successful jockey in British racing history and remains the ninth most successful jockey over 30 years after h ...

took over. At the end of the 1970 season, circumstances forced his hand and he had to give up training. Bookmaker William Hill, from whom he leased his stables, wished to restart his breeding operation there. Sobell and Weinstock negotiated to buy West Ilsley Stables from

Jakie Astor Major Sir John Jacob "Jakie" Astor VII, (29 August 1918 – 10 September 2000) was an English politician and sportsman. He was a member of the prominent Astor family. Early life John Jacob Astor VII (Jakie) was born 29 August 1918, the younge ...

, but a stipulation of the purchase was that incumbent trainer,

Dick Hern William Richard Hern (20 January 1921 – 22 May 2002) was an English Thoroughbred racehorse trainer and winner of sixteen British Classic Races between 1962 and 1995, and was Champion Trainer on four occasions. Following his early career ...

, and stable jockey,

Joe Mercer Joseph Mercer, OBE (9 August 1914 – 9 August 1990) was an English football player and manager. Mercer, who played as a defender for Everton and Arsenal in his footballing career, also went on to manage Aston Villa, Manchester City and Engl ...

remained in place. He gave up training, but was elected an honorary member of the Jockey Club that year. Given the situation he took up the role of Racing Manager in 1971 to Sobell, Weinstock and Lady Beaverbrook and continued as such until his death. In this capacity he worked closely with Hern and was particularly active in the purchasing of yearlings for Lady Beaverbrook. Under his management these owners had tremendous success with horses such as:

Sun Prince The Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is a nearly perfect ball of hot plasma, heated to incandescence by nuclear fusion reactions in its core. The Sun radiates this energy mainly as light, ultraviolet, and infrared radi ...

Sallust Gaius Sallustius Crispus, usually anglicised as Sallust (; 86 – ), was a Roman historian and politician from an Italian plebeian family. Probably born at Amiternum in the country of the Sabines, Sallust became during the 50s BC a partisan o ...

, Admetus, Cistus,

Troy Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite language, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in prese ...

and

Sun Princess Sun Princess may refer to: * ''Sun Princess'' (ship), various ships * Sun Princess (horse), a Thoroughbred racehorse * Sun Princess, the title given to the second place winner of the Sun and Salsa Festival pageant See also * Princess Sun, ...

(for Sobell/Weinstock) and

Boldboy Boldboy (1970 – September 1998) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse. He raced for eight seasons in the 1970s and was one of the most popular and successful racehorses of his era. As a two-year-old he showed ability, ...

Bustino Bustino (foaled 1971) was a British Thoroughbred Champion racehorse and sire. In a career which lasted from August 1973 until July 1975 he ran nine times and won five races. He was the best British three-year-old of 1974, when his wins includ ...

, Relkino,

Niniski Niniski (15 February 1976 – November 1998) was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. In a racing career which lasted from October 1978 until October 1980, he ran fourteen times and won six races. After showing ...

and

Petoski Petoski (24 February 1982–2003) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career that lasted from June 1984 to July 1986, he ran twelve times and won four races. Petoski is most notable for his win against a strong international f ...

(for Lady Beaverbrook).

Riding style and reputation

In rating him the top jockey of the 20th century, the

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing and sports betting publisher which is published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 6 ...

said of Richards that he "bestrode the sport like a colossus" and "by his skill, integrity, consistency and longevity in the saddle, and his attractive personality, brought more credit to his profession than any other jockey has ever done." He was particularly known for his determination and single-mindedness. He had the "ideal physique" for a jockey, being short, stocky and very strong for his weight, but his style was unorthodox, riding upright and with a long rein. In a driving finish, he would turn almost sideways, flourish his whip and apparently throw his reins at his mount. Even so, horses "ran as straight as a die" for him. John Hislop, an expert in riding technique, noted how Richards would win on horses which no other jockey could have got home first, and had the knack of making an apparently beaten horse run on.

Clive Brittain Clive Brittain (born 15 December 1934) is a retired British race-horse trainer. He started in racing as an apprentice in 1949, and became a licensed trainer from 1972 after working for Noel Murless. He trained at Carlburg Stables in Newmarket, ...

, who was an apprentice with Murless at the time Richards was there, described him as "a warm, generous and modest man" whose "integrity and loyalty were beyond reproach." "When you rode work with him, if you made a mistake, he only needed to tell you once. He commanded respect wherever he went." It is also said he was a "kind and down-to-earth man, who never lost touch with his Shropshire roots".

Personal life

Richards married Margery Gladys (d. 1982), daughter of railway carriage fitter Thomas David Winckle on 1 March 1928. They had three sons and a daughter. The daughter and one of the sons were twins, but the son only lived a few hours. He published his autobiography, ''My Story'', in 1955.

Death and legacy

The Champion Jockey, Donnington, Telford - geograph

Richards died of a heart attack at his home, Dove House,

Kintbury Kintbury is a village and civil parish in Berkshire, England, between the towns of Newbury and Hungerford. The village has a convenient railway to and , proximity to other transport and local cultural destinations, including Roman and Norman si ...

Berkshire Berkshire ( ; in the 17th century sometimes spelt phonetically as Barkeshire; abbreviated Berks.) is a historic county in South East England. One of the home counties, Berkshire was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II as the Royal County of Berk ...

, on 10 November 1986. His funeral service was held at St Mary's, Kintbury, and he was buried at St Mary's Church,

Marlborough, Wiltshire Marlborough ( , ) is a market town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in the England, English Counties of England, county of Wiltshire on the A4 road (England), Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath, Somerset, Bath. Th ...

. horseracinghistory.co.uk ''Richards, Gordon (1904–1986).'' In his home county of Shropshire his feats were celebrated in Donnington with a

pub A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...

, The Champion Jockey, named in his honour, and the 'Pinza Suite' in

Oakengates Oakengates is a constituent town and civil parish in Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. The towns parish population was recorded as 8,517 in the 2001 census. Etymology The name is not derived from "oak" or "gates" but is derived from the ...

Theatre (originally Oakengates Town Hall which he officially opened in 1968), named after his winning horse. The public house, demolished 2009, has not survived. On the site of his birthplace in Ivy Row, Donnington, have been built the apartment blocks Gordon House and Richards House in Cordingley Way, which were officially opened by Richards in 1975. Within racing, the

Gordon Richards Stakes The Gordon Richards Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile, 1 furlong and 209 yards () ...

, a Group 3 race at Sandown Park has been named in his honour. In 1999, the

listed him at number 17 in their list of 100 Makers of 20th century horse racing and number 1 in their list of the Top 50 jockeys of the 20th century. In 2002 Richards' record number of victories in a season was exceeded, by jump jockey

Tony McCoy Sir Anthony Peter McCoy (born 4 May 1974), commonly known as AP McCoy or Tony McCoy, is a Northern Irish former National Hunt horse racing jockey. Based in Ireland and the UK, McCoy rode a record 4,358 winners, and was Champion Jockey a reco ...

, although McCoy had been able to fly between tracks and was able to compete in more races in the season than was possible in Richards' time. His total of 4,870 winners is still a British record. He also holds the record for the most consecutive winners ridden - 12 (half at a night meeting) - and the record for most years as

- 26.

Major wins

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

* 1000 Guineas Stakes - (3) - '' Sun Chariot (1942),

Queenpot Queenpot (1945 – 1968) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She won three times as a juvenile in 1947, with her biggest success of the year coming in the Prendergast Stakes at Newmarket Racecourse. In the following spring s ...

(1948), Belle of All (1951)'' * 2000 Guineas Stakes - (3) - '' Pasch (1938), Big Game (1942),

(1947)'' *

Champion Stakes The Champion Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile and 2 furlong ...

- (5) - ''

Cameronian Cameronian was a name given to a radical faction of Scottish Covenanters who followed the teachings of Richard Cameron, and who were composed principally of those who signed the Sanquhar Declaration in 1680. They were also known as Society Me ...

(1932),

Chatelaine Chatelaine may refer to: * Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc. *Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse * ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...

(1933), Big Game (1942), Nasrullah (1943),

Migoli Migoli (May 8, 1944 – July 11, 1963) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse bred and raced by the Aga Khan III. Trained in England by Frank Butters, Migoli's win in the 1948 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe was the first fo ...

(1947)'' *

Coronation Cup The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2, ...

- (2) - ''His Grace (1937),

Scottish Union Scottish Union (1935–1954) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and Horse breeding#Terminology, stallion best known for winning the British Classic Races, classic St Leger Stakes in 1938. He was one of the highest-rated British two-year-olds in ...

(1939)'' *

Coronation Stakes The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 7 furlong and 213 yards (1,603 metres), and it is schedul ...

- '' Belle of All (1951)'' *

Derby Stakes The Derby Stakes, also known as the Epsom Derby or the Derby, and as the Cazoo Derby for sponsorship reasons, is a Group 1 flat horse race in England open to three-year-old colts and fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs Racecourse in Surrey ...

- ''

(1953)'' *

Dewhurst Stakes The Dewhurst Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 7 furlongs (1,408 metres), ...

- (6) - ''Sultan Mohamed (1936), Fettes (1940), Effervescence (1943),

(1946), Royal Forest (1948),

(1952)'' *

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown P ...

- '' Pasch (1938)'' * Gold Cup - (5) - ''

Felicitation Felicitation (foaled 1930) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. A specialist stayer, owned and bred by the Aga Khan he was best known for his emphatic victory over a very strong international field in the 1934 Ascot Gold Cup. He was o ...

(1934),

Owen Tudor Sir Owen Tudor (, 2 February 1461) was a Welsh courtier and the second husband of Queen Catherine of Valois (1401–1437), widow of King Henry V of England. He was the grandfather of Henry VII, founder of the Tudor dynasty. Background Owe ...

(1942), Ujiji (1943), Umiddad (1944), Aquino (1952)'' *

Goodwood Cup The Goodwood Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 2 miles (3,219 ...

- (2) - ''

Brulette Brulette (1928 – December 1950) was a French-bred Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. After winning one minor race as a juvenile she emerged as a top-class middle-distance horse in the following year, winning the Prix Penelope and the E ...

(1932), Loosestrife (1934)'' * July Cup - (5) - ''

Myrobella Myrobella (foaled 1930) was an Irish-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. Bred by the British National Stud she was the outstanding two-year-old of either sex in Britain in 1932 when she won five consecutive races. In th ...

(1933), Abernant (1949), Abernant (1950), Hard Sauce (1951), Devon Vintage (1953)'' *

King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes The King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot o ...

- ''

(1953)'' *

Middle Park Stakes The Middle Park Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old colts. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 metres), and it is s ...

- (6) - ''Medieval Knight (1933),

(1937), Khaled (1945), The Cobbler (1947), Abernant (1948), Royal Challenger (1953)'' *

- (4) - ''Portobello (1939), Abernant (1949), Abernant (1950), Royal Serenade (1952)'' *

Oaks Stakes The Oaks Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old fillies. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 6 yards (2 ...

- (2) - '' Rose of England (1930), Sun Chariot (1942)'' * St. James's Palace Stakes - (3) - ''

(1947), Faux Tirage (1949), King's Bench (1952)'' *

St Leger Stakes The St Leger Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a d ...

- (5) - ''

(1930),

Chulmleigh Chulmleigh ( ) is a small Saxon hilltop market town and civil parish located in North Devon in the heart of the English county of Devon. It is located north west of Exeter, just north of the Mid Devon boundary, linked by the A377 and B ...

(1937),

Turkhan Turkhan (1937 – after 1952) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, who raced during World War II and was best known for winning the classic St Leger in 1940. He showed good form as a two-year-old, winning the Coventry Stakes at R ...

(1940), Sun Chariot (1942),

Tehran Tehran (; fa, تهران ) is the largest city in Tehran Province and the capital of Iran. With a population of around 9 million in the city and around 16 million in the larger metropolitan area of Greater Tehran, Tehran is the most popul ...

(1944)'' *

Sussex Stakes The Sussex Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Goodwood over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and ...

- (8) - ''Marconigram (1928), Corpach (1936), Pascal (1937), Radiotherapy (1946),

Combat Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

(1947), Krakatao (1949), Le Sage (1951), Agitator (1952)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Gordon English jockeys Knights Bachelor People in sports awarded knighthoods People from Telford Sportspeople from Shropshire 1904 births 1986 deaths British Champion flat jockeys