'I put all my eggs in one basket and I had no-one when I left - I was just riding everywhere and anywhere'
Josephine Gordon tells Catherine Macrae how she keeps battling away through tough times
In its 245-year history, only three women have ridden in the Derby. There was a time when it seemed like a foregone conclusion that Josephine Gordon would be the fourth.
Indeed, Gordon declared her intent to win the Classic just a year after Ana O'Brien partnered The Anvil in 2017, and the ambition seemed a natural progression for what had already been a dazzling start to her career, with the apprentice title in 2016 followed by a maiden century the next year.
Yet the life of a jockey is rarely smooth sailing and six years later things have not panned out as Gordon would have hoped. Her numbers have dwindled and dreams of Epsom's biggest event have been replaced by the rainy reality of a midweek meeting at Brighton.
Read the full story
Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.
Subscribe to unlock
- Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
- Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
- Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
- Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
- Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
- Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Already a subscriber?Log in
Published on inInterviews
Last updated
- 'Louder and prouder' - meet the new gambling chief determined to spell out the positives of the industry
- 'He was still 100-1 at the post, so it was hopefully quite well planned' - renowned punter Patrick Veitch on a life in betting and a new venture
- 'Other trainers say how difficult it is to get staff, but I can't say the same - when people come here, they seem to stay'
- 'People love having horses with Willy rather than a miserable git like me'
- 'It's tough financially and last year I said I might get a job driving a lorry instead - although to be fair I'd probably crash!'
- 'Louder and prouder' - meet the new gambling chief determined to spell out the positives of the industry
- 'He was still 100-1 at the post, so it was hopefully quite well planned' - renowned punter Patrick Veitch on a life in betting and a new venture
- 'Other trainers say how difficult it is to get staff, but I can't say the same - when people come here, they seem to stay'
- 'People love having horses with Willy rather than a miserable git like me'
- 'It's tough financially and last year I said I might get a job driving a lorry instead - although to be fair I'd probably crash!'