Arena Racing Company (“ARC”) are delighted to announce that four-time Champion Jockey, Richard Johnson, will take up a consultancy role with the company following his retirement from riding.
Johnson has the second highest number of wins in the history of British jump racing, with over 3800 in total, including two Cheltenham Gold Cups, a Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle and two Coral Welsh Grand Nationals, since his debut win under rules at local racecourse, Hereford, in 1994. The racecourse restaurant at Hereford is named after Johnson’s mount that day, Rusty Bridge. He has since been crowned Champion Jockey a total of four times between 2016 and 2019.
Following his announcement of retirement from the saddle, Johnson will take on a part time consultancy role with ARC, offering advice and guidance across the group’s sixteen racecourses as well as an ambassadorial role with sponsors and racegoers at major meetings. Johnson will work with ARC’s racing and Clerking teams across the country in areas such as race planning, ground maintenance and other related matters.
Managing Director of ARC’s Racing Division, Mark Spincer said, “Richard brings an absolute wealth of experience of riding on our racecourses, and working with our teams teams from his long and successful career. He has been extremely generous in the past in offering advice to our teams, and I am delighted that we have been able to formalise that relationship following his retirement from riding.
“I have absolutely no doubt that Richard’s many years at the top of our sport will only be for the benefit of our teams as we continually strive to host the best sport that we possibly can.”
Richard Johnson said, “I am delighted to be taking up this consultancy role with ARC, and to be able to share my experience with their teams. Having spent over 25 years riding at a large number of ARC racecourses, I hope that I will be able to offer some valuable advice and insight into a number of areas, and look forward to getting involved in this new role.”
