Fulke Johnson Houghton

Richard Fulke Johnson Houghton (9 May 1940 – 13 February 2025) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse trainer. He trained over 1,200 winners in a career which lasted from 1961 until 2006. The best of his horses included Ribocco, Ribero, Habitat, Rose Bowl, Ile de Bourbon and Double Form.

Background Johnson Houghton was born on 9 May 1940 in Malpas, Cheshire, to the trainer Gordon Johnson Houghton and his wife Helen. He was named after his mother's twin brother Fulke Walwyn. Johnson Houghton was educated at Eton College before working as an assistant trainer in Britain and France. When Gordon Johnson Houghton died in 1952 Helen took over the Woodway stable at Blewbury in Berkshire but under Jockey Club rules, women were not allowed to hold a training licence. She therefore managed the yard through assistants including Charles Jerdein and Peter Walwyn. When Walwyn set up his own stable in 1961 the 20-year-old Fulke, then working on a cattle farm in Australia, was recalled to England to take over the licence at Woodway. In the same year Johnson Houghton won a series of top mile races with Habitat.

In the 1970s Johnson Houghton trained the leading sprinters Parsimony (July Cup, Cork and Orrery Stakes) and Double Form as well as the outstanding racemare Rose Bowl. In 1977 he narrowly failed to win The Derby when Hot Grove was beaten in a photo finish by The Minstrel. but he continued to train some good horses. He won the Cork and Orrery Stakes with Posada in 1988 and trained Ruling to finish third in two editions of the Champion Hurdle. His last top-class performer was Tout Seul who won the Dewhurst Stakes in 2002.

Johnson Houghton announced his retirement in 2006 after a 45-year training career which saw him win over 1,200 races.

Personal life and death Johnson Houghton married Gaie Goldsmith, the daughter of trainer John Goldsmith. His daughter Eve took over his stable on his retirement.