racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

National Hunt National Hunt Racing, also known as Jump Racing, is a form of horse racing particular to many European countries, including, but not limited to: France, Great Britain and Ireland. Jump Racing requires horses to jump over fences and ditches. In ...

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

Lucius Lucius is a masculine given name derived from Lucius (Latin ; ), abbreviated L., one of the small group of common Latin forenames () found in the culture of ancient Rome. Lucius probably derives from Latin word ( gen. ), meaning "light" (<

in

1978 Events January * January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213. * January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...

and

Hallo Dandy Hallo Dandy (1974 - 8 January 2007) was a British-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in National Hunt racing. He raced in 4 Grand Nationals (1983, 1984, 1985, 1986) winning the 1984 race. He is also known for being discovered in 1994, ma ...

in

1984 Events January * January 1 – The Bornean Sultanate of Brunei gains full independence from the United Kingdom, having become a British protectorate in 1888. * January 7 – Brunei becomes the sixth member of the Association of Southeas ...

. He also trained One Man to win the

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a dis ...

in 1995 and 1996. He was born in

Bath, Somerset Bath (Received Pronunciation, RP: , ) is a city in Somerset, England, known for and named after its Roman Baths (Bath), Roman-built baths. At the 2021 census, the population was 94,092. Bath is in the valley of the River Avon, Bristol, River A ...

and was apprenticed as a flat jockey to Jack Waugh. His middle initial, W., was allegedly inserted in his name by an official at

Salisbury Racecourse Salisbury Racecourse is a flat racecourse in the United Kingdom featuring thoroughbred horse racing, southwest of Salisbury, Wiltshire, England. Fifteen race meetings a year are held there between early May and mid-October. History Racing at ...

at the start of his career to differentiate him from the champion flat jockey Sir Gordon Richards. The W. was apparently taken from Waugh's surname.Gordon Brown, "Gordon Richards", '' The Herald'', 3 October 1998 (Pay per view
abstract
) Becoming too heavy for the flat, he rode as a National Hunt jockey for Ivor Anthony and Johnny Marshall; his career as a jockey was ended by a fall at Perth Racecourse in which he broke his back. In 1964 he took out a licence to train, initially at

Beadnell Beadnell is a village and civil parish in Northumberland, England. It is situated about south-east of Bamburgh, on the North Sea coast, and has a population of 528(2001), increasing to 545 at the 2011 Census. It takes its name from the Anglo S ...

, Northumberland before moving to

Greystoke Castle Greystoke Castle is in the village of Greystoke, Cumbria, Greystoke west of Penrith, Cumbria, Penrith in the county of Cumbria in northern England. (). It is owned by the Howard family and is a private residence including a castle and family est ...

stables near Penrith in Cumbria in 1968. He subsequently moved to a new purpose-built stables at Greystoke village in 1988. As well as his two Grand National winners he gained major successes with One Man, dual winner of the

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a dis ...

and winner of the

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

, and Titus Oates, also a King George VI Chase winner. On Timeform Ratings, One Man was the best chaser Richards ever trained. He was an exciting horse who visually traveled with ease throughout his races. He won the

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a dis ...

twice, and the

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

. He had two attempts to win the

Cheltenham Gold Cup The Cheltenham Gold Cup is a Grade 1 National Hunt horse race run on the New Course at Cheltenham Racecourse in England, over a distance of about 3 miles 2½ furlon ...

, finishing out of the frame both times, in 1996 (when starting the 11/8 favourite), and 1997. On both occasions he weakened in the later stages of the race. Richards also trained the future, dual

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...

winner,

Sea Pigeon Sea Pigeon (1970–2000) was an American-bred, British-trained racehorse who excelled in both National Hunt and flat racing. In a racing career which lasted from 1972 until 1981 he competed in eighty-five races, and won thirty-seven times. He ...

, when the horse began his hurdling career. But owner Pat Muldoon transferred the animal to the Great Habton yard of

Peter Easterby Miles Henry Easterby (5 August 1929 – 9 June 2025), known as Peter Easterby, was a British racehorse trainer. He was British jump racing Champion Trainer three times. Life and career From starting with seven horses at his stables at Habton G ...

, where he won two

Chester Cup The Chester Cup is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 140 yards () at Cheste ...

s and an

Ebor Handicap The Ebor Handicap is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at York over a distance of 1 mile 5 furlongs and 188 yards (2,787 metres). It i ...

, as well as the 1980 and 1981 runnings of the

Champion Hurdle The Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt racing, National Hunt Hurdling (horse race), hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to Horse racing, horses aged four years ...

. Richards will also be remembered for training the fearless, front-running two-mile chaser, Noddy's Ryde. The horse was only in his second season over fences when he was killed in action at Devon and Exeter in October 1984. He had been beaten narrowly in the

Arkle Challenge Trophy The Arkle Challenge Trophy is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham, England, over a ...

at the

Cheltenham Festival The Cheltenham Festival is a horse racing-based meeting in the National Hunt racing calendar in the United Kingdom, with race prize money second only to the Grand National. The four-day festival takes place annually in March at Cheltenham Race ...

in the Spring of that year, after dueling from a long way out with the eventual winner, Bobsline. The race was considered one of the most exciting of the time. The most supportive patron of the yard was the

Edinburgh Woollen Mill Purepay Retail Limited, trading as The Edinburgh Woollen Mill, is a British clothing retailer founded in 1946 by Drew Stevenson. It is headquartered in Carlisle, England. In November 2002, Philip Day led a management buy-out of the retailer. Th ...

, later becoming Ashleybank Investments.Horses in Training – A Raceform Publication Richards trained many good horses for these owners. They commonly named their animals using 'Tartan' as the first word in the name. One of them, Tartan Tailor, won the

Supreme Novices' Hurdle The Supreme Novices' Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run on the Old Course at Cheltenham over a distance o ...

at the Cheltenham Festival. He died from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

, aged 68, in

Carlisle Carlisle ( , ; from ) is a city in the Cumberland district of Cumbria, England. Carlisle's early history is marked by the establishment of a settlement called Luguvalium to serve forts along Hadrian's Wall in Roman Britain. Due to its pro ...

, Cumbria and was succeeded as trainer at Greystoke by his son,

Nicky Richards Nicholas Gordon Richards (born 25 February 1956 in Alnwick, Northumberland) is a British racehorse trainer specialising mainly in National Hunt racing. He is based at stables at Greystoke, near Penrith, Cumbria, England He was British champion ...

.

Major wins

*

Grand National The Grand National is a National Hunt horse race held annually at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England. First run in 1839, it ...

– (2) – ''Lucius (1978), Hallo Dandy (1984)'' *

King George VI Chase The King George VI Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a dis ...

– (3) – ''Titus Oates (1969), One Man (1995 & 1996)'' *

Queen Mother Champion Chase The Queen Mother Champion Chase is a Grade 1 National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged five years or older. As part of a sponsorship agreement with the ...

– (1) – ''One Man (1998)'' *

Hennessy Gold Cup /Ladbrokes Trophy The Coral Gold Cup is a Premier Handicap National Hunt steeplechase in Great Britain which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is ...

– (1) – ''One Man (1994)'' * Whitbread Gold Cup – (1) – ''Titus Oates (1971)''

Biography

* John Budden, ''The Boss: The Life and Times of Horseracing Legend Gordon W. Richards'' Mainstream publishing, Edinburgh & London,2000.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Richards, Gordon W. 1930 births 1998 deaths British racehorse trainers People from Bath, Somerset