December, 2022 | Horse Racing Free Tips

12 Questions: Heather Anderson

With Heather Anderson, TDN Associate International Editor

First job in the Thoroughbred industry?

Interning at a reproduction centre at Peterson & Smith down in Florida.

Biggest influence on your career?

My parents. Neither are in the industry, but they gave me a good foundation and the right mind set to succeed.

Favourite racehorse of all time, and why?

Tiznow. He's still the only dual winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023?

Land Force.

Greatest race in the world?

G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe. Most of the top middle-distance international form lines intersect at ParisLongchamp.

If you could be someone else in the industry for a day who would it be, and why?

Ryan Moore. He's one of the best jockeys in the world and has a fair poker face, win, lose, or draw.

Emerging talent in the industry (human)?

Seina Imamura. She now has 50 Japan Racing Association winners to her credit, and is only the fifth Japanese jockey to accomplish that feat in her rookie year.

Horse TDN should have made a Rising Star, and didn't?

From a few years back, Tis Marvellous.

Under-the-radar stallion?

Dream Ahead, even though he's sired several winners at the highest level.

Friday night treat?

A pint of gelato and a good book.

Guilty pleasure outside racing?

I'm a big fan of The Great British Baking Show, and enjoy baking.

Race I wish I had been there for…

It was before my time, but Mill Reef's victory in the 1971 Arc. He was such a cool, little horse.

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Charlie Johnston To Train In His Own Name From New Year, As Father Mark Gives Up Licence

Britain's winningmost trainer Mark Johnston is set to cease training under a joint-licence on Jan. 1, 2023 and cede his licence. His son Charlie, with whom he has trained in partnership throughout 2022, will now hold the licence solely. However, the elder Johnston and his wife, Deirdre, will continue in their roles at Johnson Racing, Ltd. Charlie has a number of entries in his own name for the first week of 2023.

The Johnstons released the following statement to the TDN on Friday, “With effect from 1st Jan. 2023, the training partnership of Charlie and Mark Johnston will cease to exist and horses under the care of Johnston Racing Limited will be trained under a single training licence held by Charlie Johnston.

“While the training partnership has served a purpose and we have enjoyed another excellent year on the track, we have felt that Charlie's achievements have not been fully recognised and, as the move to a single licence in his name was inevitable at some stage, we now feel that there is nothing to gain by further delay.

“Notwithstanding Mark's name being removed from the training licence, Mark and Deirdre Johnston will continue to work, full-time, in Johnston Racing Limited and will fulfil the same roles in the business as they have done in recent years.”

Mark, who began training in February of 1987, celebrated his 5,000th winner with Dubai Mile (Ire) (Roaring Lion) in August. That colt would go on to claim the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Oct. 22 and become the 27th top-level winner for Johnston and the first for his son.

In 2022, the Johnstons' string has made 1262 runs, which resulted in 174 wins and earnings of over £2.9 million. Other 2022 highlights for the duo include Living Legend (Ire) (Camelot {GB})'s victory in the G2 Jockey Club S., smart handicapper Soapy Stevens (GB) (Harzand {Ire}), I'm A Gambler (Ire) (No Nay Never)'s victory in the Listed Guisborough S., and the multiple group-placed efforts of Thunderous (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).

“Nothing has really changed in terms of our roles,” Mark Johnston told PA Sport. “They will continue. I just didn't feel that the joint-licence worked. It served a purpose and I'm not saying they shouldn't have joint-licences, I just felt it was a bit of a limbo.

“When we had big successes, Charlie wasn't getting credit for the part he plays. I just felt that if we were to have a spectacular winner somewhere, it wouldn't be quite the same as being an individual.

“We went to a joint-licence at the beginning of last year and the plan was it would be at least three or four years, but I just felt there was no point. I just felt it should be one name.”

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Noel’s Weekend Winners: New Year’s Eve Value Plays at Gulfstream

Welcome to Noel Michaels’ Weekend Winners, the place to go for weekend best bets and spot plays from veteran handicapper and tournament-play pioneer Noel Michaels. Check back every week for a couple of highlighted selections designed to help you cash a few bets and make some money.

RRP’s First Footing Silent Auction Open Through Jan. 6

The Retired Racehorse Project (RRP) announced today its First Footing Silent Auction, sponsored by OCD Pellets, is open for bidding starting at 9:00 a.m. (EST) on Dec. 30 and runs through January 6, 2023 at 11 p.m. (EST).

Named for a Scottish tradition, the First-Foot is the first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day and is seen as a harbinger of good fortune for the coming year.

This year's auction features horse shoes worn by some of racing's most elite stars, including Justify, Monomoy Girl and Medina Spirit, plus a signed boot worn by jockey Javier Castellano during the Saratoga Meet.

The First Footing Silent Auction will kick-start 2023 fundraising for the RRP and support its mission to increase demand for Thoroughbreds in careers after racing.

Click here, to browse items and make your bid online.

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