FINDON CHANGE-OVER — FROM JOSH TO NICK

Copyright Valerie Martin 2003.

Josh Gifford 1990

Josh Gifford stood at the centre of Findon's National Hunt racing for some forty years.

He was a good jockey and rode some 700 winners during a fourteen year brilliant career that saw him become champion jockey on four occasions.

Josh retired from professional riding at the relatively early age of twenty-eight and turned his hand to training in the footsteps of Captain Ryan Price in Findon.  He met with equal success in training as with riding.

Since sending out his very first winner, Cheers Echo, in April 1970, Josh was always centre stage in the trainers' championship table for many years and handled some great Findon horses along the way.

The following are amongst the host of household names to have raced for his village stable: Approaching, Aldaniti, Shady Deal, Royal Judgement, Door Latch, Midnight Count, Deep Sensation and Kybo.   These are a few of those best remembered.

The victory of Aldaniti in the 1981 Grand National was probably the most remembered by everyone and was certainly the most emotional winning story of all time —  Aldaniti having been trained with immense care after suffering a career-threatening injury, and jockey Bob Champion having recovered from cancer to take the ride.

Rather surprisingly, Josh had to sit on the side-lines and wait until 1988 before sending out his first winner at the Cheltenham Festival, but since then has been a regular in the winners' enclosure at racing's greatest venue.  He was later assisted in the Findon yard by his son Nick and it was considered that perhaps not before too long he just might decide to hand over the reins.

                                          Nick Gifford, 1997

It is said that breeding is all that counts in Findon's National Hunt world and so 60-year-old Josh Gifford's decision in 2002 to hand over the reigns to his 30-year old son, Nick (from the world of point-to-point), came as no surprise to anyone.

Nick soon discovered that there was little prize money in racing "between the flags" (as opposed to "under National Hunt Rules" on the racecourse) but it was an ideal place to learn his trade.

The plan was for 6 ft. 4 in. Nick to join his father (who he towered over) as No. 2 in command at the Downs House Stables in Findon at the end of the 2002/3 season, (following the formality of the assistant trainer's exams at Newmarket).   He kissed goodbye to the nine point-to-pointers he trained nearby at the Soldiers Field Yard in Findon (where the late Captain Ryan Price used to stable his Flat horses).

Josh was a hard act for his son to follow.     Findon training had altered over the past twenty-five years.    Racehorses then were cantered along the A24 grass verge and a string of them were taken along the Findon Valley road.... an exercise not to be attempted any more.

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