Charlie Johnston | Horse Racing Free Tips

Charlie Johnston To Join Father Mark On License

From Jan. 1, Charlie Johnston will join his father Mark Johnston, Britain's winning-most trainer in history, on a joint license at Kingsley Park in Middleham. The news was first reported by Thoroughbred Racing Commentary.

“I feel that there should be recognition of that,” said Mark Johnston of his son's pivotal role at the stable. “He has been doing that work for the past three years. But also the time has come for Charlie to share the responsibility as well. He has passed all his modules at the BHA, and his application has been approved.”

Charlie Johnston told Racing Post that the change was part of a plan that will see him eventually fully take over at Kingsley Park.

“We often like to have a five to ten-year plan in our business and the goal of me having the sole licence has been in the back of our minds for quite some time,” he said. “It's what I've always been working towards, and when they introduced training partnerships it offered us an obvious route to get from A to B. It seemed a good opportunity to do it rather than make abrupt an change.

“I'm in a very fortunate position to draw on dad's 30 years and 4,800 plus winners of experience, but at the same time have some youth and drive to push the string onwards and upwards on to greater heights.”

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Derby Still Plan For Gear Up

Group 1 winner Gear Up (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) is still pointing to the G1 Cazoo Derby over 1 1/2 miles on June 5, according to connections. The colt, who won the G1 Criterium de Saint-Cloud over 10 furlongs last term, ran fifth in the G2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Dante S. at York in mid-May. The bay also scooped the G3 Tattersalls Acomb S. at two.

Charlie Johnston, son and assistant trainer to father Mark, said, “Gear Up is still Epsom bound. Although he is a 33-1 shot, I think, he deserves his place in the line-up as a Group 1-winning 2-year-old and it would be no surprise to see him finish in the money.

“I don't think he needs that kind of severe testing ground on which he won his Group 1 on last season, it is more the fact it inconveniences other horses. The extra test of stamina here will suit him as we expect him to be a strong stayer at a mile and a half.”

Regarding the colt's performance in the Dante, Johnston added, “I thought it was one of those runs in the Dante at York that was not a bad run but it was not a particularly good run–it was just okay.

“I thought he was in a reasonably good pitch and I would have not swapped him three furlongs out. I thought of those chasing the leaders he looked the most likely at that point.

“The eventual first and second had another gear than him from two out and he plugged on one pace at the finish. He is sure to be better over an extra two furlongs.”

Noon Star Hoping to Shine Bright in Oaks
Another Classic aspirant who is sure to enjoy 1 ½ miles is Juddmonte's Noon Star (Galileo {Ire}), who is on target for the G1 Cazoo Oaks on June 4. From four starts to date, the daughter of MG1SW and Oaks bridesmaid Midday (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) has a win over 8 ½ furlongs at Nottingham last October after running third on debut at Salisbury the month prior. At three, she captured a novice over 10 furlongs at Wetherby in April and ran second in the G3 Tattersalls Musidora S. at York on May 12.

Teddy Grimthorpe, racing manager to owner Juddmonte, said of the Sir Michael Stoute-trained filly, “The family are happy for the filly to go for the Oaks, so in principle she will go but the final decision will be made over the weekend. It was a bit of a muddling race at York, but that having being said it was the same for everyone. We would have liked to have seen more pace but it didn't materialise.

“There is plenty of stamina in her pedigree and from that point of view a mile and a half in either the Oaks, and/or G2 Ribblesdale S. at Royal Ascot should play to her strengths as it were. It was a smart enough race at York and she has come out of it in good shape.”

On the same day as the Oaks, William Muir's Pyledriver (GB) (Harbour Watch {Ire})) will step out in the G1 Cazoo Coronation Cup S. The 4-year-old colt was second in the G2 Jockey Club S. at Newmarket on May 1. As a 3-year-old, Pyledriver saluted the judge in the G2 King Edward VII S. at Royal Ascot and in the G2 Great Voltigeur S. on either side of an unplaced run in the G1 Investec Derby.

“Everything's gone to plan–his work's been great,” said Muir, who trains in partnership with Chris Grassick. “He's on target to go where we've said–right from day one, we've said that was his target, so he'll go to Epsom a week on Friday.”

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Subjectivist Camp Mulling Gold Cup Outing

Group 1 winner Subjectivist (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), a winner of the G2 Dubai Gold Cup on Mar. 27, is likely to start next in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June. Successful at the highest level in the Prix Royal-Oak last fall, the Dr. Walker colourbearer also saluted in the G3 March S. on Aug. 29 and earlier in the season won the Listed Glasgow S.

“He had a fantastic campaign last year–we always thought of him as a genuine St Leger horse, but that was probably his most disappointing effort through the year,” said trainer Mark Johnston's son Charlie. “We campaigned him quite aggressively last year–he ran in the Gordon, the Voltigeur, the March and then the Leger, so it was a busy summer.

“There is an element to say he's best when he's fresh–but he's also just a bigger, stronger horse this year. Last year you could struggle to keep condition on him, but this year he's taken all the work we have thrown at him. Plan A was Saudi, and we were annoyed he didn't get in there–we couldn't fathom the logic.

“I know Phil Smith framed the staying race as a handicap–and because of weight-for-age, it worked against him. But there were horses running that had been getting beaten in handicaps and went off 50-1, while he'd won a Group 1 on his last start. As soon as he didn't get in, as he was half-ready in early February, Meydan was an opportunity for another big pay day–and it was a fantastic performance.”

Looking forward to the European season Johnston continued, “We've given him a Yorkshire Cup entry–but one of the main attractions to Dubai was that he had no penalty for his Group 1, while he would have in a Sagaro, Henry II or Yorkshire Cup.

“I think Plan A will be to go straight to Ascot, because we've proved we can have him in the form of his life fresh. I think the two he'll definitely go to are Ascot and Goodwood in the summer.

“There's certainly lots to look forward to. He nearly won at Royal Ascot (King George V S., last year), and Mogul (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) only just caught him at Goodwood–both of those were over a mile-and-a-half. We always said he would get better with age.”

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