James Fanshawe

James Fanshawe is a British racehorse trainer. Based at Pegasus Stables in Newmarket, he has saddled 26 Group 1 winners. Although training horses mainly on the flat, he holds a dual licence and trained two winners of the Champion Hurdle.

Background Fanshawe was born into an equestrian family. His father Brian Fanshawe was an amateur jockey who won the 1967 National Hunt Chase on Master Tammy and his grandfather was the equestrian Richard Fanshawe. Fanshawe was a boarder at Stowe School. Having worked for National Hunt trainers George Fairbairn and Josh Gifford as well as his aunt's husband David Nicholson, he moved to Newmarket and worked for flat trainer Michael Stoute.

Career Fanshawe took out his own licence in 1990 to train at Pegasus Stables, the yard that had been built by jockey Fred Archer. He saddled his first winner, Black Sapphire, at Salisbury in May 1990. Later that year, he achieved his first Group race success when Radwell won the group 3 Solario Stakes. The following season Environment Friend won the Eclipse Stakes to provide him with his first Group 1 win.

Holding a dual purpose licence to train horses on the flat and over jumps, Fanshawe sent out Royal Gait to win the Champion Hurdle at the 1992 Cheltenham Festival. Ten years later Hors La Loi III won the same race.

Major wins

Great Britain British Champions Fillies' and Mares' Stakes – (1) – Seal of Approval (2013) British Champions Sprint Stakes – (3) – Deacon Blues (2011), The Tin Man (2016), Kind Of Blue (2024) Champion Hurdle – (2) – Royal Gait (1992), Hors La Loi III (2002) Diamond Jubilee Stakes – (1) – The Tin Man (2017) Eclipse Stakes – (1) – Environment Friend (1991) Falmouth Stakes – (3) – Macadamia (2003), Soviet Song (2004, 2005) Fillies' Mile – (1) – Soviet Song (2002) Golden Jubilee Stakes – (1) – Society Rock (2011) Haydock Sprint Cup – (2) – Society Rock (2012), The Tin Man (2018) July Cup – (1) – Frizzante (2004) Sussex Stakes – (1) – Soviet Song (2004)

France Prix de l'Opéra – (1) – Speedy Boarding (2016) Prix du Cadran – (2) – Invermark (1998), High Jinx (2014) Prix Jean Romanet – (3) – Ribbons (2014), Speedy Boarding (2016), Audarya (2020)

Ireland Irish St. Leger – (1) – Arctic Owl (2000) Matron Stakes – (1) – Soviet Song (2004)

Canada E. P. Taylor Stakes – (1) – Wandering Star (1996)

United States Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf – (1) – Audarya (2020)