John Reid (jockey)

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John Reid is a now retired flat race jockey born in Banbridge, County Down in 1955.

He served as an apprentice in his native Ireland to Leslie Crawford, before moving to England and joining Verley Bewicke.

His first Classic victory came in the 1982 1000 Guineas aboard On The House. His first major group 1 race win came in the 1978 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes at Ascot on Ile De Bourbon. John won this race for a second time in 1997 on Swain, in one of the greatest horse races of the 20th century, where the top class thoroughbreds Helissio, Singspiel and Pilsudski were all beaten off.

His biggest victory came on Dr Devious in the 1992 Epsom Derby for the trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam. He also won the 1988 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe on Tony Bin. John was also successful in the St. Leger Stakes in 1998 on Medawi.

John considered retirement in 1999 after a heavy fall at Kempton Park, but kept going for another two years until announcing his retirement in September 2001, and becoming president of the Jockeys Association.

John was made an MBE in 1997 for his services to Horse Racing.

In total John rode 1,937 winners in the UK, and gained 48 international Group 1 race victories during his career.

In 1987 Emlyn Hughes on BBCs A Question Of Sport famously mistook a picture of Princess Anne on a horse for the jockey John Reid.