Chris Johnson, also known as "CWJ" or "The Magic Man", is a jockey in Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand. He is most notable for holding the national record for winning rides in New Zealand (2,515) and for winning the New Zealand jockeys premiership twice.
Riding career
Chris Johnson was apprenticed to Woodville trainer Scott Hammersley. His first winner, Noble Star trained by Hammersley, was in his first raceday ride at Tauherenikau on New Year's Day 1981.
Johnson won the New Zealand Premierships in the 1995–96 season with 139 wins and the 2017–18 season with 112 wins.
He has also won several jumping features, including the Grand National Hurdles over 4200m at Riccarton Park Racecourse aboard Ampac in 1989, Woodbine Blue Chip in 1993 and Kid Colombus in 2011.
In total he has won 21 Group 1 races, including: the New Zealand Oaks five times, on Domino, Tartan Tights, Sawadtee, Tycoon Lil and Savvy Coup. the New Zealand 1000 Guineas four times with Canterbury Belle, Phillipa Rush, Tartan Tights and Tycoon Lil.
He rode Samasaan to the New Zealand Cup and Wellington Cup double. However, his most successful association with a horse was probably with the John and Karen Parsons trained mare, Final Touch, who he rode to wins in the 2013 Telegraph Handicap, 2013 Waikato Sprint and 2012 Captain Cook Stakes.
His 2000th winner came at Waipukurau in 2014 and at that time he was the sixth New Zealand jockey to reach the mark after Bill Skelton, David Peake, Lance O'Sullivan, Noel Harris and David Walsh. On Saturday 19 December 2020 Johnson established a national record for race victories in New Zealand of 2452, when he road Sassenach to win at Awapuni Racecourse surpassing the previous mark set by David Walsh. Johnson's record haul of wins is all the more remarkable given he gave away race riding in 1998 and did not return until seven years later in 2005.
On 10 February 2022, at Invercargill, Johnson rode Lincoln Hills to his 2,500th New Zealand race victory. His 2,515 New Zealand wins includes 138 Group and listed races.
Notable victories The following are some of the major races Chris has won. Year Race Horse Trainer(s)1984 New Zealand 1000 Guineas Canterbury Belle David Kerr1985 New Zealand Cup Samasaan Garth Jackson 1985 Timaru Cup (G3)In The GlenGarth Jackson1986 Wellington Cup Samasaan Garth Jackson 1988 Auckland Cup Sea Swift Peter & Dawn Williams 1989Grand National HurdlesAmpacDJ (Ned) Thistoll & Gail Whitnall1989New Zealand 1000 Guineas Phillipa Rush Jim Campin1990 New Zealand OaksDomino Jim Campin1991Wellington HurdlesDecoy LadNeil Coulbeck1992Thorndon MileJust TommyMichael Pitman1992 Captain Cook StakesRough Habit John Wheeler 1992 New Zealand Cup Mercator Royce & Linda Dowling1993Grand National HurdlesWoodbine Blue ChipNeil Coulbeck 1993 New Zealand 2000 Guineas Facing the Music Mike Ingram1994 New Zealand Cup Double Take Royce & Linda Dowling1994 New Zealand 1000 Guineas Tartan Tights Ellis Winsloe1995 New Zealand OaksTartan Tights Ellis Winsloe1996Railway Stakes LoaderPeter & Dawn Williams 1996 Telegraph Handicap Loader Peter & Dawn Williams 1997Waikato SprintAvedonPatrick Campbell 1997 New Zealand Oaks Sawatdtee Alan Howatson1997Great Northern HurdlesClemMrs S A Douglas1997 New Zealand 1000 Guineas Tycoon Lil Colin Jillings & Richard Yuill 1998 New Zealand Oaks Tycoon Lil Colin Jillings2011Grand National HurdlesKid ColumbusMurray Hamilton 2012 Captain Cook Stakes Final Touch John and Karen Parsons2013 Telegraph HandicapFinal Touch John and Karen Parsons2013 Waikato Sprint Final Touch John and Karen Parsons2018 New Zealand Oaks Savvy Coup Michael & Matthew Pitman2018Livamol Classic Savvy CoupMichael & Matthew Pitman
See also
Lisa Allpress Opie Bosson Noel Harris Lance O'Sullivan Michael Walker David Walsh Thoroughbred racing in New Zealand
References