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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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Champion Buick Reaches 200-Winner Mark

William Buick, who has already been crowned champion jockey in Britain for 2022, rounded off a sensational campaign in style by riding 200 British winners in a year for the first time. His 200th victory came at Southwell aboard the odds-on favourite Zealot (GB), trained by Michael Appleby.

Speaking on the Sky Sports Racing channel after the race, Buick said, “I said to Tony [Hind], my agent, six weeks ago when we had 31 winners to go that it was within reach.

“Things didn't quite go to plan until today, but it's great and I've had lots of support. Thank you to everyone.”

Buick missed out on victory in the first British Classic of the season when beaten on Native Trail (GB) into second by stable-mate Coroebus (Ire), ridden by his great friend James Doyle, in the 2,000 Guineas. He later won both the Irish 2,000 Guineas on Native Trail and the Poule d'Essai des Poulains on Modern Games (Ire), the colt who would go on to score his second Breeders' Cup victory at the end of the season at Keeneland.

America has been a happy hunting ground for Buick this year, and he has also enjoyed top-level success in the Saratoga Derby with Nations Pride (GB) and the Saratoga Oaks on With The Moonlight (GB). He was also aboard winner Mischief Magic (GB) in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint. In Britain, his Group 1 victories have included the St James's Palace S. with Coroebus, who was later fatally injured in the Prix du Moulin, and the Cheveley Park S. On Lezoo (GB), while Rebel's Romance (Ire) won the Preis von Europa with Buick up. Modern Games also landed Canada's Ricoh Woodbine Mile, while Mysterious Night (Ire) won the Pattison Summer S. on the same card.

“It's been a great year,” said the jockey. “I've had wonderful support from everybody. Charlie Appleby and Godolphin have had an amazing year with Charlie also being champion (trainer) as well.”

He added, “I would love to go for it again next year, beyond that you never know.”

Former champion Oisin Murphy was the most recent jockey to pass the 200-winner mark in Britain, having ridden 220 winners in 2019, while another former champion, Silvestre de Sousa, notched 206 in 2017. Buick's previous best was 170 winners last year when the jockeys' championship went right to the wire on British Champions Day and he finished a close second to Murphy. He could yet add to his tally as he is booked for five rides at Lingfield on New Year's Eve.

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12 Questions: Padraic Gahan

First job in the Thoroughbred industry?

With Helen Markham a few miles from home in Grangecon, County Wicklow. I was only 14, but learned many lessons about horses and humans over the course of four years.

Biggest influence on your career?

That would be my father. He has been my sounding board for advice on Thoroughbreds and my life in the industry.

Favourite racehorse of all time, and why?

Kauto Star. He was the horse that gave me that warm, fuzzy feeling about this as a sport.

Who will be champion first-season sire in 2023?

I will go with Blue Point. He appears to have covered sufficient mares, and sufficient quality mares, to do it and they seem to have found themselves in good hands. The ones that I encountered had a toughness to them.

Greatest race in the world?

The Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

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

Probably one of my longest friends Jerry Horan. Because you would be guaranteed to have a story to tell after the day!

Emerging talent in the industry (human)?

There are too many to name. It is a fantastic time for young people who are making their mark in all facets of the industry. Some of them are not seen at the races or at the sales; they are in the stables or on the studs. I work with some of them at Baroda Stud.

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

Bayside Boy. He also embarks on his stud career at Ballylinch Stud in 2023.

Under-the-radar stallion?

I think that Due Diligence punches above his weight and has his best crop of 2-year-olds to represent him next year.

Friday night treat?

A pint of Guinness.

Guilty pleasure outside racing?

Going to a rugby match or playing 18 holes.

Race I wish I'd been there for?

I have had some brilliant days racing with colleagues and friends but a recent one was when Imaginarium, who I bred, won a Curragh maiden in October.

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