Mark Johnston the most successful trainer in British horse racing history

Poet’s Society winning the 3.00 at York on Thursday means Mark Johnston has become the winning most trainer in British racing history. 

It was the master of Kingsley House stables in Middleham 4,194th victory of his career in Britain. He has now surpassed the former number set by Richard Hannon snr.  Famously the stable motto is ‘Always Trying’ and he regularly tops the chart of total winners in a year, achieving 200+ winners in seven of the last ten years and he’s on his way to doing it again in 2018.

Born in Scotland in 1959, he became interested in racing through his father’s ownership of horses. Having married Deirdre, now also his assistant trainer, he was granted a Trainers licence in 1987 and had his first winner that summer. He moved into Kingsley House stables a year later from where he trains to this day. The training complex now covers 270-acres.

You won't get rich backing his runners blind but you have to take your hat off to him. Will we be writing about his 5,000th winner come the end of 2022? I wouldn't be against it.