Sir Johnny Weatherby: Racing Legend and Royal Confidant Dies at 66

British Racing Loses a Towering Figure

The horseracing world is mourning the loss of Sir Johnny Weatherby KCVO, owner-breeder and a member of one of racing’s most distinguished families, who has died at the age of 66. The chairman of Weatherbys and Ascot died after a battle with cancer, leaving what colleagues describe as a significant gap in the administrative and social heart of the industry.

Sir Johnny was a seventh-generation member of the Weatherby family, whose name has been intertwined with the governance of British racing for more than 250 years. Weatherby joined the family firm in 1979 and served as a director of the Jockey Club from 1990-92, before following his father Christopher as chair of the business in 1993.

A Distinguished Career in Racing Administration

Sir Johnny’s influence extended far beyond his family firm. As Her Majesty’s Representative from 2011 until 2020, Sir Johnny headed the Ascot Office at St James’s Palace and carried responsibility for one of the most sensitive roles in the royal sporting calendar. He was involved in Ascot racecourse for more than 20 years, first as a trustee, and then as chairman.

A member of the Jockey Clubs of both Britain and the USA and chairman of the International Stud Book Committee, Johnny was a global ambassador for the thoroughbred. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 2020 – a personal honour bestowed by the late Queen in recognition of service given directly to the Sovereign.

Owner, Breeder and Racing Enthusiast

Beyond administration, Sir Johnny maintained strong connections to racing through ownership and breeding. Weatherby owned Preston Lodge Stud in Oakham and was the breeder of dual Cheltenham Festival winner Presenting Percy as well as Top Wood, who won the Aintree Foxhunters’ Chase in his colours during the 2019 Grand National meeting. A keen amateur jump jockey in his younger days, he was appointed chairman of the family firm Weatherbys in 1993, having started work at the company in 1979.

Tributes Pour in from Racing Community

At Ascot, the jockeys wore black armbands on Friday as a mark of respect to the former chairman. He will be remembered most by his friends and peers for his energy, foresight, ambition and unwavering dedication to the integrity of the sport. The Weatherby family’s centuries-long commitment to British racing continues, though Sir Johnny’s passing marks the end of an era for one of its most influential modern figures.