Richards, Sir Gordon

Sir Gordon Richards, (born May 5, 1904, Oakengates, Shropshire, Eng.—died Nov. 10, 1986, Kintbury, Berkshire), English jockey, the first to ride 4,000 winners and the leading rider in British flat (Thoroughbred) racing for 26 of his 34 seasons (1921–54). His career total of 4,870 victories was a world record, broken by Johnny Longden of the United States on Sept. 3, 1956. He was the first jockey ever to be knighted.

Richards first led British jockeys in victories in 1925. In 1943, when he established a British single-season record of 269 winners, he exceeded Fred Archer’s career total of 2,749, a record for British riders. On May 4, 1950, Richards rode his 4,000th winner. In 1953, a few weeks after he had been knighted, he scored his only triumph in the Derby. He was more successful in other leading stakes races, winning the St. Leger five times and the 2,000 Guineas on three occasions. After being injured twice in races (May and July 1954), he retired as a jockey and became a trainer of racehorses (1955–70) and a racing manager thereafter. His autobiography, My Story, was published in 1955.