Simon & Ed Crisford
Originally a racing journalist, Simon Crisford became a familiar personality, worldwide, during his 21-year tenure as racing manager to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the founder of Godolphin. However, in 2014 he reliquinshed that role and turned to training in his own right. After saddling 22 winners from 85 runners in 2015, at a strike rate of 26%, Crisford gradually increased his winning tally, season by season, peaking at 70 wiiners from 337 wiiners (21%) in 2018, the year in which he amassed over £1 million in prize money for the first time. As a sole licence holder, he saddled a total of 19 Listed and Pattern winners, although a Group 1 winner remained elusive.
In 2020, Crisford took out a joint licence with his son, Ed, who had previously worked for Eoin Harty, in California, and John Gosden, in Newmarket, before becoming assistant to his father from the outset of his training career. Nowadays, the pair as based at Gainsborough Stables on Hamilton Road in Newmarket and their operation has continued to go from strength. Indeed, in five seasons as joint-licence holders they have saddled no fewer than 52 Listed and Pattern winners, including two Group 1 victories.
Their Group 1 breakthrough came on August 20, 2023, when the two-year-old Vandeek, ridden by Andrea Atzeni, got up in the final strides to win the Prix Morny at Deauville.Less than six weeks later, the son of Havana Grey followed up in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket to give them their first and, so far, only Group 1 victory on British soil. The Crisfords have hardlly lacked for high-profile success, though, jointly saddling at least 60 winners, and earning at least £1.4 million in prize money, in every season since 2020. They currently lie twenty-third in the 2025 Flat Trainers’ Championship.
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