John Francome

About

John MBE is a former National Hunt Champion Jockey and one of the foremost figures of all time in the racing world. His career started fairly unusually for a jockey, his first successes on horseback were as a showjumper. Yet even winning the European Championship with the Great Britain team.

At sixteen years old John Francome became apprentice to Lambourn trainer Fred Winter and so began his career as a jockey. He rode a total of 1,138 winners, his last being in April 1985. During the course of his career he was NH Champion Jockey seven times.

After retiring Francome was awarded the MBE in 1986 for services to racing. He was a trainer for 18 months before becoming a TV presenter for Channel 4’s horse racing broadcasts.

Francome has taken to writing works of fiction. His books have featured on the bestseller lists.

His success as a jockey and trainer makes him one of the foremost figures of all time in the racing world.

John Francome went on to win seven championships in ten years but admits that by the time he set a new record of 1036 jumping victories in June 1984.

His talents even extending to writing in following in the footsteps of Dick Francis by becoming a successful novelist.

He also writes a regular racing column in The Sun.

One of the most respected figures in horse racing history, John Francome is in demand as an after dinner speaker and event host.