James Joseph Fortune (born 14 June 1972) is a retired

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

thoroughbred jockey who in a 30-year career won over 1,800 races, including 16

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

s, and 1 British Classic, the 2007

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 ...

Career

Fortune was apprenticed to Mike O'Neill and

Luca Cumani Luca M. Cumani (born 7 April 1949, in Milan, Italy) is an Italian thoroughbred horse trainer and breeder. He trained at Bedford House Stables in Newmarket from 1976 to 2019. He has trained a multitude of high-profile horses, including seven Clas ...

. He was first licensed in 1987 and his first win came on 29 July 1988 at

Thirsk Thirsk is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England known for its racecourse; quirky yarnbomber displays, and depiction as local author James Herriot's fictional Darrowby. History Archeological fin ...

riding Hitchenstown for Eric Alston. It was O'Neill who brought Fortune over to Britain, and his first major victory was on O'Neill's Joveworth at 50/1 in the 1989 Ayr Gold Cup, while still an apprentice, claiming 5lb. In 1990 he became Champion Apprentice with 47 wins. Later, Fortune became jockey for David Barron, then took a retainer with Jack Ramsden after

Kieren Fallon Kieren Francis Fallon (born 22 February 1965 in Crusheen, County Clare, Ireland) is a retired Irish professional flat racing jockey and was British Champion Jockey six times. Career Stable jockey to Henry Cecil In ...

left. This led to him becoming the retained jockey for

Robert Sangster Robert Edmund Sangster (23 May 1936 – 7 April 2004)

in 1998, when Peter Chapple-Hyam was his trainer. His first Group 1 win was on Commander Collins in that season's

Racing Post Trophy The Vertem Futurity Trophy is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), ...

. Following that, he rode for Paul Cole. For seven years he was associated with

John Gosden John Harry Martin Gosden (born 30 March 1951) is a British racehorse trainer. He has trained over 3,000 winners worldwide, including winners of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the Derby, the Arc, the King George, the Eclipse, and over 600 winners ...

. For Gosden, he won his only

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 ...

win on

Lucarno Lucarno (February 10, 2004 - March 20, 2018) is a Thoroughbred racehorse and sire best known for winning the St Leger in 2007. Background Lucarno is a big, powerful bay horse, standing 16.3 hands high, bred in Pennsylvania by his owner George W ...

in the 2007

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 ...

. Other victories for Gosden included the

Fillies' Mile The Fillies' Mile is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to two-year-old fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is sche ...

and

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 ...

on Nannina, the

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

Raven's Pass Raven's Pass (foaled February 17, 2005 in Kentucky) is an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse most notable for being the first English-trained winner of the Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Califo ...

, the

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 ...

Oasis Dream Oasis Dream (foaled 30 March 2000) is retired thoroughbred racehorse and active sire who was bred and trained in the United Kingdom. He was the highest-rated two-year-old in the 2002 European flat racing season and won the Cartier Racing Award f ...

and the Pretty Polly Stakes,

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 fu ...

and

Prix Vermeille The Prix Vermeille is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 2,400 metres (about 1½ miles), an ...

(although later controversially disqualified) on

Dar Re Mi Dar Re Mi (foaled 2005 in Great Britain) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse. In a racing career lasting from 2007 to 2010 she won six times, including three at Group One level. Since retiring from racing she has become a very successful brood ...

. He also won the

Hungerford Stakes The Hungerford Stakes is a Group races, Group 2 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Newbury Racecourse, Newbury over a d ...

and Challenge Stakes on Sleeping Indian, who as a favourite horse. He rode Expresso Star to win the 2009

Lincoln Handicap The Lincoln Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres) at Doncaster in late March or early April. It is ...

, taking home the £125,000 first place prize. He turned freelance in 2010. Later in his career, he rode for Brian Meehan and Andrew Balding, winning the 2016

Cambridgeshire Handicap The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlo ...

for Meehan on Spark Plug and the

Diomed Stakes The Diomed Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile and 113 yards (1,713 metres), and it is s ...

for Balding on Tullius. He retired in 2017, aged 45, with back problems resulting from a fall at Newbury. In his final race, he finished third on John Gosden's Nathra in the

Sun Chariot Stakes The Sun Chariot Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 ...

at Newmarket. "I am sad to be leaving the weighing room," he said on retirement. "You want to go on forever but I had to be realistic. It was not an easy decision to make." He planned to start a property business with his two teenage sons. At the time of his retirement he had won 1,780 races in Britain, the seventh highest total of jockeys currently riding. His highest position in the jockeys' table was joint 4th in 1998 with 108 wins, but his best total was 110 wins in 2007. Tony Hind was his agent for 25 years. He was well-known and respected for his physical strength in the saddle. The best week of his career was in 2006, when he was the top jockey at

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 ...

, winning the

on Nannina, the Norfolk Stakes on Winker Watson, the

Royal Hunt Cup The Royal Hunt Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile (1,609 metres), and it is scheduled to ...

on Royal Oath, the Jersey Stakes on Tariq, the Wokingham Handicap on Baltic King and the Ascot Stakes on Full House. His best single day was also at Ascot, when he won the 2008

on Rainbow View and the

on Raven's Pass. Raven's Pass was the highest rated horse of his career (rated 131 by 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 ...

for that win).

Major wins

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Prix de la Forêt The Prix de la Forêt is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,400 metres (about 7 furlongs), and it i ...

- (1) - ''Mount Abu (2001)'' ----

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 ...

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

- (1) - ''Serious Attitude (2008)'' *

– (1) – ''Nannina (2006)'' *

– (3) – ''Playful Act (2004), Nannina (2005), Rainbow View (2008)'' *

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

- (1) - ''Virtual (2009)'' *

– (1) – ''

(2002)'' *

- (1) - ''Raven's Pass (2008)'' *

– (1) – ''Commander Collins (1998)'' *

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 ...

- (1) - ''

(2007)'' *

Yorkshire Oaks The Yorkshire Oaks is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to fillies and mares aged three years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 3 fu ...

- (1) - ''

(2009)'' ----

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

* Matron Stakes – (1) – ''Rainbow View (2009)'' * Pretty Polly Stakes - (1) - ''

(2009)'' ----

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

Premio Vittorio di Capua The Premio Vittorio di Capua is a Group 2 flat horse race in Italy open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Milan over a distance of 1,600 metres (about 1 mile), and it is scheduled to take place each year in September or Oct ...

- (1) - ''Linngari (2007)'' ----

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...

Indian Derby The Indian Derby is an annual Thoroughbred horse race. It is run over 2,400-metres and held on the first Sunday of February at the Mahalaxmi Racecourse in Mumbai. History The "Indian Derby" is the premier horse racing event of the country held ...

- (2) - ''Star Supreme (1996)'' ''SuperStorm (2013)'' ----

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fortune, Jimmy 1972 births Living people Irish jockeys British Champion apprentice jockeys