John Francome
MBE
Occupation
Born (1952-12-13) 13 December 1952 (age 70)
Swindon, England
Career wins1,138
Major racing wins
Cheltenham Gold Cup, Stayers' Hurdle, Champion Hurdle, King George VI Chase, Sun Alliance Chase
Honours

John Francome MBE (born 13 December 1952) is a retired seven-time British Champion jump jockey. He was previously a racing trainer and broadcaster with Channel 4, and is an author.

Racing career

Francome first rode a pony called Black Beauty at the age of six. His first riding successes came as a showjumper, and was a member of the team that won the European Junior Show Jumping Championship for Great Britain.

Francome's father secured a meeting with trainer Fred Winter and he became an apprentice in October 1969. His first race ride came at Worcester in December 1970, a race he won riding Multigrey trained by Godfrey Burr. In February 1971, Francome rode his first of 575 winners for trainer Winter on Osceola at Towcester. Osbaldeston was an early success story for the Francome/Winter partnership, notching up 17 victories.

Francome won his first British Champion Jump Jockey title in the 1975/76 season. The same year he secured his first Grade 1 victory in the Sun Alliance Chase at Cheltenham with Pengrail. On his way to the 1977/78 British Champion Jump Jockey title, he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Midnight Court. In 1981, he won the Stayers Hurdle on Derring Rose by 30 lengths again for Winter.

One of Francome's most successful horses was Burrough Hill Lad, trained by Jenny Pitman. Francome took victories in the Welsh Grand National, Hennessy Gold Cup and King George VI Chase. At the 1984 Gold Cup, Francome could not ride Burrough Hill Lad due to his retainer with Winter, and finished second with Brown Chamberlin - a horse he had won both the Sun Alliance Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup on. Alongside riding for Pitman, Francome had success riding for Michael Dickinson, successes on Wayward Lad in the 1982 King George VI Chase and also on Silver Buck, Bregawn and Flatterer.

Whilst many top successes came in Chases, Francome had success over hurdles with Sea Pigeon winning the 1981 Champion Hurdle.

During the 1982 season, Francome stopped riding once he drew level with competitor, Peter Scudamore, in the Jump Jockeys Championship as Scudamore was injured. The two shared the title.[1] Francome broke Stan Mellor's record of 1035 wins on Don't Touch at Fontwell in May 1984.[2]

In 1985, Francome retired and had ridden 1,138 winners over jumps in Britain and a total of seven British Champion Jump Jockey Titles.[3][4][5][6]

The John Francome Novices' Chase at Newbury was named after him in 2017.[7]

Major wins

United Kingdom Great Britain

Cheltenham Festival winners (5)

Controversies

Francome had several controversial moments during his riding career. In 1978 he was suspended for 35 days for passing information to bookmaker, John Banks.[8] He once famously referred to the racing stewards as "Cabbage Patch Dolls".[6]

Career after racing

Writer

In 1986, Francome published his first fictional novel Eavesdropper. He went on to write a further 24 books. His most recent novel was Storm Rider published in 2010.[9] His autobiography Born Lucky was published in 1985.[10]

Bibliography

Francome's fictional books:

Title Publication Date ISBN
Eavesdropper 1986 0-356-12744-3
Riding High 1987 0-356-14558-1
Declared Dead 1988 0-7472-0087-4
Blood Stock 1989 0-7472-0129-3
Stone Cold 1990 0-7472-0227-3
Stud Poker 1991 0-7472-0390-3
Rough Ride 1992 0-7472-0566-3
Outsider 1993 0-7472-0749-6
Break Neck 1994 0-7472-1032-2
Dead Ringer 1995 0-7472-1264-3
False Start 1996 0-7472-1653-3
High Flyer 1997 0-7472-1896-X
Safe Bet 1998 0-7472-2133-2
Tip Off 1999 0-7472-2134-0
Lifeline 2000 0-7472-7239-5
Dead Weight 2001 0-7472-7241-7
Inside Track 2002 0-7553-0060-2
Stalking Horse 2003 0-7553-0668-6
Back Hander 2004 0-7553-0681-3
Cover Up 2005 0-7553-2690-3
Winner Takes All 2006 0-7553-2948-1
Dark Horse 2007 978-0-7553-4703-2
Final Breath 2008 978-0-7553-3728-6
Deadly Finish 2009 978-0-7553-4990-6
Storm Rider 2010 978-0-7394-3069-9

Francome's non fiction books:

Title Publication Date ISBN
Born Lucky 1986 978-0-5521-3070-7
Twice Lucky 1988 978-0-7472-3382-4

Broadcaster

Francome was a member of the Channel 4 Racing television broadcast team. He appeared on the weekly show The Morning Line and also on race day broadcasts. In 2012, when Channel 4 Racing changed production companies from Highflyer to IMG, Francome left his role.[11][12]

Injured Jockeys Fund

Between 2012 and 2016, Francome was the President of The Injured Jockeys Fund. From 2017, he became a Vice Patron alongside fellow jockeys AP McCoy and Frankie Dettori.[13][14]

Personal life

Francome was born in Swindon, Wiltshire. In 1976 he married Miriam Strigner. The couple divorced in 1990.[15] Sam Ricketts, the former professional footballer for Wales is his nephew.[16]

In the 1986 New Year Honours, Francome was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) "for services to National Hunt Racing."[17][18]

Francome built and owns Beechdown Farm in Lambourn, a stableyard and training facility that can house 96 horses. Clive Cox is currently the resident racing trainer.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ "Francomes visit to Dundalk track in 1984 is recalled". Irish Independent. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Stan Mellor Obituary". The Times. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  3. ^ "A pleasure to behold in the saddle, he proved the greatest of his time". The Free Library by Racing Post. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  4. ^ "John Francome". Swindonweb. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  5. ^ "John Francome". championsofracing.com. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Legends of the sport: Seven-time champion National Hunt jockey John Francome". Horse & Hound. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Jump Pattern Book Blog 2017/18". BHA. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Bradley ban 'unforgivable'". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  9. ^ "JOHN FRANCOME BOOKS IN ORDER". bookseriesinorder.com. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Born Lucky". Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Thanks for all the great memories Channel 4". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  12. ^ "ITV wins terrestrial rights to show racing from 2017 as Channel 4 exits". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Patrons, Presidents & Trustees". The Injured Jockeys Fund. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  14. ^ "IJF president John Francome the charity is here to help riders get back on track". Horse & Hound. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  15. ^ "Francome, John 1952–". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Sam Ricketts: My journey from the stable door to Bolton Wanderers". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  17. ^ UK list: "No. 50361". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1985. p. 13.
  18. ^ "Lambourn Personalities – Johnny Francome". lambourn.org. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  19. ^ "Rodney Masters speaks to John Francome about his time with Fred Winter". Racing Post. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  20. ^ "Beechdown Stables". Clive Cox Racing. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
Awards Preceded byMichael Johnson RTS Television Sport AwardsBest Sports Pundit 2004 Succeeded byMartin Brundle
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