John Gosden - Clarehaven Stables

Clarehaven Stables

Gosden’s first season at Clarehaven was successful. He won prestigious races including the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Nannina.

The 2007 season started well for Gosden, but it became even better as he won the Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot with Royal Oath. After the race, the Racing Post crowned him “Royal Ascot’s ‘Mr. Reliable’”. He also won the Windsor Forest Stakes at Royal Ascot with Nannina. It was the second time she had won at Royal Ascot. “She seems to find her best form at this course and it was a great training performance”, said winning jockey Jimmy Fortune,”All I had to do was steer”.

He also won with Raven's Pass, who was becoming widely-regarded as a promising horse. He then won the Great Voltigeur Stakes with Lucarno. “The Leger could be the place to go”, said Gosden speaking of Lucarno afterwards,”He’s got a big stride and knows how to use it”. He then won the Solario Stakes with Raven's Pass, breaking the track record. “I think he’s a good horse and I like him a lot”, said Gosden afterwards, comparing him favorably to two other horses he’d won the race with, Foss Way and Windsor Knot.

Amidst much anticipation, Gosden took Lucarno to Doncaster, and won the very prestigious St. Leger Stakes. “He is a really, really good horse but was a little immature as a two-year-old, which is why he didn’t run”, said Gosden afterwards,”He worked well in the autumn last year and has run nothing but fabulous races all year”. “He showed talent last year but I wanted to save him”, Gosden also said, “He’s done nothing but improve all season”.

The 2008 season was an excellent one for Gosden. On the key Guineas trial day, he won four of the day’s races with Infallible winning the prestigious Nell Gwyn Stakes, along with Virtual, Prohibit and Pampas Cat. Gosden then won his fourth Sandown Classic Trial with Centennial. Soon after, Michita won the Ribblesdale Stakes and Lucarno, winner of the 2007 St. Leger, won again in the Princess of Wales Stakes. He had another double at Newmarket with Upton Grey and Rainbow View. “She has a high cruising speed and looks like she has some class”, said Gosden. Next, Gosden won the York Stakes with, beating Campanologist. Racer Forever also won the Criterion Stakes for Gosden and Fortune. A successful season continued as Rainbow View won the prestigious Sweet Solera Stakes.

Gosden then won two major races in the same day, the Celebration Mile with Raven's Pass the Great Voltigeur Stakes with Centennial. He then enjoyed more success in the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster with Rainbow View, who continued her unbeaten run. “She has done it very well and I couldn’t be more pleased with her”, he said. He then won the Prix Minerve-Shadwell in France with Dar Re Mi, even though the ground was considered to reduce her prospects, “she would appreciate good going the most” Gosden said.

He then had another stunning day at Ascot, winning the showpiece Queen Elizabeth II Stakes with Raven's Pass and the Fillies' Mile with Rainbow View, completing the double for the second time. “We had three plans going in and got down to one in the end”, said Gosden. Of Rainbow View he said “I didn’t train her for a test of stamina, be she’s all heart and tough as well”. Winning the Timform Million with Donativum allowed Gosden to supplement the two-year-old for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf at Santa Anita. He continued a great season by winning the Cambridgeshire with Tazeez.

At Santa Anita in Los Angeles, one of the tracks on which Gosden had started his training career, he won two of the world’s most prestigious races, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with Donativum and the Breeders' Cup Classic with Raven's Pass. Gosden described it as “a day I will cherish”.

Gosden’s 2009 season began well. He won the Kentucky Derby Challenge with Mafaz, and the Lincoln Handicap with Expresso Star. Then Neeham won the valuable 3-Y-O Trophy at Newmarket. “I really do like these sales races”, Gosden said “and Donativum’s defeat of Crowed House last year turned out to be a cracker”. He then won the Earl of Sefton Stakes with Tazeez, for the same owner.

He then won the Jockey Club Stakes with Bronze Cannon, and had a double with Cadre and Ithbaat. He then won the prestigious Lockinge Stakes with Virtual, beating Alexandros. “It was a fabulous finish”, said Gosden, “Twice Over and Pressing took the pace to test Paco Boy’s stamina and it played into our favour. He had his head down when it mattered”.

He then won the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot with Bronze Cannon. The horse, known as ‘The Mighty Mouse’ for his small stature, beat Campanologist. He then won the Pretty Polly Stakes with Dar Re Mi. “She stays well and wants a mile and a half, but luckily we got control” said Fortune, the winning jockey. Showcasing also won well. Gosden also won the Prix Eugene Adam in France with Debussy. Later, Showcasing won the Gimcrack Stakes. “He is very much like his father and has bags of speed”, said Gosden.

There was more success for Gosden with Dar Re Mi, as she won the Yorkshire Oaks, beating Sariska. He then won the Washington Singer Stakes with Azmeel, and the prestigious Matron Stakes with Rainbow View. Gosden was happy with the performance, “She did it well today and, similar to some good fillies I’ve had before, she has just taken some time to come to herself this season”. He also won the Prix Dollar in France.

In November, Gosden returned to more success at Santa Anita, winning the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf with Pounced, for the second time in as many years. “It feels good to life this prize for the second year at Santa Anita, which I regard as my second home after spending so many years here as a young trainer”, Gosden said. He also won the November Handicap with Charm School.

In early 2010, Gosden signed young jockey William Buick to ride for his stable. The decision was widely questioned, Buick was relatively untested at the highest level and Jimmy Fortune was widely regarded as a competent and effective jockey. However, Gosden is widely viewed as a good judge, the only other rider he has ever retained (apart from Buick) is Frankie Dettori. “I didn’t have a retainer and there has been no falling out”, said Fortune, who still often rides for Gosden when Buick is not available.

Almost immediately, Gosden’s choice was proved correct as Buick gave Dar Re Mi a fantastic ride to win the prestigious Dubai Sheema Classic. “She was given a beautiful ride by William Buick”, said Gosden, “He knows what he is doing and he has a lot of brains”. He also talked of the difficulties of training in winter, “Keeping her warm in England wasn’t easy, so it was quite a challenge”.

Gosden continued his success, winning the Cheshire Oaks with Gertrude Bell and the Huxley Stakes with Debussy. He also won the Oaks Trial Stakes with Dyna Waltz, beating Timepiece. He also won the Queen Mary Stakes at Royal Ascot with Maqaasid. Gosden was delighted, “You have got a tailwind but she ran great”. He also won the Summer Vase at Goodwood with Beachfire. It was the third time Gosden had won the race.

Gosden then won the Arlington Million with Debussy, beating Gio Ponti. Buick delivered a fantastic ride. “He rides cleverly”, said Gosden, “He doesn’t panic in a race”. He also won the Doncaster Cup with Samuel.

In September, Gosden won his third St. Leger when Arctic Cosmos beat Midas Touch and Rewilding. “This is the most fantastic experience for me” said winning owner Robin Geffen after another excellent ride from Buick. Soon after, Gosden and Buick won the Prix Foy in France with Duncan. He then won four races in quick succession, with The Shrew, Utley, Treasury Devil and Masked Marvel.

Gosden’s 2011 season continued with more success as Gertrude Bell won the Warwick Fillies’ Stakes and Investissement won the ToteScoop6 Handicap at Goodwood. He also won the prestigious Musidora Stakes with Jovality. He then won the Yorkshire Cup with Duncan, with another excellent ride from William Buick. Gosden described Duncan as “an enigmatic character” with “a ton of talent”. He then won the prestigious King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot with Nathaniel. “He’s a very nice horse”, said Gosden. He also won the Wolferton Handicap at Royal Ascot with Beachfire. “We put the headgear on him and it worked well”, Gosden explained.

Soon after, he returned to Ascot with Nathaniel to win one of the world’s most prestigious races, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Gosden had let Buick judge the race and did not give his rider many instructions. Nathaniel came to the front and then eased away. “This horse is getting better and better”, said Buick after the race. Gosden also won the Summer Double First Leg International with Bronze Prince, and the Canisbay Bloodstock Handicap with Aiken. He had more success in France, as Elusive Kate won again in the Prix du Calvados at Deauville.

Gosden won his fourth St. Leger and second with William Buick as Masked Marvel very impressively beat Brown Panther. After the fantastic performance Gosden said “From the day I saw him as a yearling I thought he was a Leger type”. “He was a powerful little guy even then and he’s got a great pedigree for the job”. Very soon after, Gosden also won the Irish St. Leger with Duncan. Gosden then enjoyed further success when Elusive Kate won the very prestigious Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp, beating a fantastic field including Fire Lily and Zantenda.

Gosden's 2012 season has been one of his most successful. He won the Earl of Sefton Stakes with Questioning and the Musidora Stakes with The Fugue. At Royal Ascot, he was Champion Trainer, winning the Windsor Forest Stakes with Joviality and the Albany Stakes with Newfangled. He then won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot with Fallen For You, the Wolverton Stakes with Gatewood, and the Duke of Edinburgh Stakes with Camborne.

He also won the Pretty Polly Stakes with Izzi Top. He then won three races in quick succession for Lady Serena Rothschild, the Coral Challenge with Trade Commissioner, the Lancashire Oaks with Great Heavens and The Eclipse with Nathaniel. He also won the Bahrain Trophy with Shantaram. He also won the Prix Rothschild with Elusive Kate, and the Irish Oaks with Great Heavens.

He then won the Nassau Stakes with The Fugue. He also won the Great Voltigeur Stakes with Thought Worthy. In October, Gosden won the Tattersalls Millions Trophy with Ghurair, and the Geelong Cup with Gatewood. After amassing over £3.7m in win and place prize money, John won the British Flat Trainers Championship - an achievement that only eight other trainers have done since 1978.