Josephine Gordon is crowned Stobart Champion

Josephine, from Chittlehampton, Devon but based in Lambourn, Berkshire, has ridden a total of 50 winners across the 2016 British flat racing season, which runs from Saturday 30 April to Saturday 15 October 2016. Last year’s champion apprentice Tom Marquand finished in second with 45 winners and Adam McNamara in third on 39.

Gordon is the third female jockey to win the apprentice championship with Amy Ryan (40 winners) lifting the title in 2011 and Britain’s most successful flat jockey, Hayley Turner (44 winners) jointly winning it in 2005 with Saleem Golam.

Across 2016 to date Josephine has tallied a total of 68 winners, trending at a 11% winning strike rate and has ridden for over a 100 trainers, making her one of the most in demand jockeys on the circuit. As well as being apprentice jockey to Stan Moore, she has received the patronage from renowned trainers including former champion flat trainer Sir Michael Stoute, classic winning trainer Hugo Palmer and three times champion jockey now trainer Richard Hughes.  

This year Josephine has ridden seven winners from fifteen rides for Hugo Palmer, as well as securing a 100% strike rate on board Palmer’s; Baydar (2 wins from 2 rides) and Wall of Fire (1 win from 1 ride) at Doncaster’s St Leger Festival being one highlight. She has also ridden Indera, trained by John Berry, to victory four times from eight rides, as well as producing five wins from ten races riding Gentlemen, trained by Phil McEntee.

On receiving a cheque for £5,000 in prize money and the newly commissioned Tom O’Ryan Champion Apprentice trophy, Josephine, visibly thrilled said;

“Today is a great honour and I am very grateful to Stobart for sponsoring the apprentice championship and to everyone that has given me so much support this season and helped me reach this amazing goal.  This includes my family, my agent Phil Shea, Stan Moore and all the trainers and owners who have given me rides.  And, last but not least I want to say a big thank you to all the brilliant racehorses I have ridden!”.