| Jimmy Fortune | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | (1972-06-14)14 June 1972 (age 52) County Wexford Ireland |
| Career wins | Great Britain: 1,780 |
| Major racing wins | |
| Major races British Classic wins St Leger Stakes (2007) Other major British races Cheveley Park Stakes (2008) Prix de la Forêt (2001) Matron Stakes (2009) Pretty Polly Stakes (2009) Premio Vittorio di Capua (2007) Indian Derby (1996, 2013) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Dar Re Mi,Lucarno,Oasis Dream | |
James Joseph Fortune (born 14 June 1972) is a retiredIrish thoroughbred jockey who in a 30-year career won over 1,800 races, including 16Group 1s, and 1British Classic, the 2007St Leger.
Fortune was apprenticed to Mike O'Neill andLuca Cumani. He was first licensed in 1987 and his first win came on 29 July 1988 atThirsk riding Hitchenstown for Eric Alston.[1] It was O'Neill who brought Fortune over to Britain, and his first major victory was on O'Neill's Joveworth at 50/1 in the 1989Ayr Gold Cup, while still an apprentice, claiming 5lb. In 1990 he becameChampion Apprentice with 47 wins.
Later, Fortune became jockey for David Barron, then took a retainer with Jack Ramsden afterKieren Fallon left. This led to him becoming the retained jockey forRobert Sangster in 1998, when Peter Chapple-Hyam was his trainer. His first Group 1 win was on Commander Collins in that season'sRacing Post Trophy. Following that, he rode for Paul Cole.
For seven years he was associated withJohn Gosden. For Gosden, he won his onlyClassic win onLucarno in the 2007St Leger. Other victories for Gosden included theFillies' Mile andCoronation Stakes on Nannina, theQueen Elizabeth II Stakes onRaven's Pass, theMiddle Park Stakes onOasis Dream and thePretty Polly Stakes,Yorkshire Oaks andPrix Vermeille (although later controversially disqualified) onDar Re Mi. He also won theHungerford Stakes andChallenge Stakes on Sleeping Indian, who as a favourite horse.[2]
He rode Expresso Star to win the 2009Lincoln Handicap, taking home the £125,000 first place prize.[3]
He turned freelance in 2010. Later in his career, he rode for Brian Meehan and Andrew Balding, winning the 2016Cambridgeshire Handicap for Meehan on Spark Plug and theDiomed Stakes for Balding on Tullius.
He retired in 2017, aged 45, with back problems resulting from a fall atNewbury. In his final race, he finished third on John Gosden's Nathra in theSun Chariot Stakes at Newmarket. "I am sad to be leaving the weighing room," he said on retirement. "You want to go on forever but I had to be realistic. It was not an easy decision to make."[2] He planned to start a property business with his two teenage sons.
At the time of his retirement he had won 1,780 races in Britain, the seventh highest total of jockeys currently riding.[2] His highest position in thejockeys' table was joint 4th in 1998 with 108 wins, but his best total was 110 wins in 2007.Tony Hind was his agent for 25 years. He was well-known and respected for his physical strength in the saddle.[citation needed]
The best week of his career was in 2006, when he was the top jockey atRoyal Ascot, winning theCoronation Stakes on Nannina, theNorfolk Stakes on Winker Watson, theRoyal Hunt Cup on Royal Oath, theJersey Stakes on Tariq, theWokingham Handicap on Baltic King and theAscot Stakes on Full House. His best single day was also at Ascot, when he won the 2008Fillies' Mile on Rainbow View and theQueen Elizabeth II Stakes on Raven's Pass. Raven's Pass was the highest rated horse of his career (rated 131 by theRacing Post for that win).[2]
