HORSE RACING · 187 TRAINERS

The trainers with the most big-race wins

187 yards, 15,599 wins between them in the world's richest races. André Fabre leads on 893, taken across 156 different races between 1980 and 2026.

Racing ranks its trainers by season and by country. Nobody ranks them by how many of the world's biggest races they have actually won, because doing it means reading 52,507 rolls of honour across 997 races and turning them sideways. This is that list.

MOST WINS 893

TOTAL BIG-RACE WINS 15,599

TRAINERS 187

RACES 997

CUT-OFF 30 wins

The fifteen most successful

Wins in the 997 races on this site

André Fabre 893 Aidan O'Brien 385 Bob Baffert 377 Saeed bin Suroor 318 Alain de Royer-Dupré 307 Criquette Head 300 Todd A. Pletcher 289 François Boutin 272 D. Wayne Lukas 265 Paul Nicholls 255 William I. Mott 230 John Gosden 229 Jean-Claude Rouget 220 Heinz Jentzsch 220 Nicky Henderson 215

Every trainer, ranked

187 yards with 30 big-race wins or more

15,599 wins between them

#	Trainer	Wins	Races	Span	Biggest win	Worth
1	André Fabre	893	156	1980 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
2	Aidan O'Brien	385	97	1996 to 2026	Dubai Sheema Classic	£4,511,278£4.5m
3	Bob Baffert	377	99	1992 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
4	Saeed bin Suroor	318	122	1995 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
5	Alain de Royer-Dupré	307	114	1982 to 2021	Melbourne Cup	£5,291,005£5.3m
6	Criquette Head	300	100	1978 to 2016	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
7	Todd A. Pletcher	289	107	1998 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
8	François Boutin	272	105	1970 to 1994	Breeders' Cup Juvenile	£1,503,759£1.5m
9	D. Wayne Lukas	265	113	1978 to 2025	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
10	Paul Nicholls	255	66	1994 to 2026	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
11	William I. Mott	230	102	1983 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
12	John Gosden	229	112	1983 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
13	Jean-Claude Rouget	220	91	1989 to 2026	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
14	Heinz Jentzsch	220	50	1967 to 1999	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
15	Nicky Henderson	215	67	1983 to 2026	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
16	Peter Schiergen	215	68	1998 to 2026	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
17	Michael Stoute	190	75	1977 to 2023	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
18	Charlie Appleby	186	103	2013 to 2026	Melbourne Cup	£5,291,005£5.3m
19	Chad C. Brown	182	74	2008 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
20	Pascal Bary	181	93	1982 to 2024	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
21	Andreas Wöhler	180	69	1990 to 2026	Melbourne Cup	£5,291,005£5.3m
22	Willie Mullins	175	51	1995 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
23	Henry Cecil	162	59	1970 to 2013	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	£1,503,759£1.5m
24	Élie Lellouche	156	77	1985 to 2014	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
25	John Dunlop	146	89	1968 to 2011	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
26	Robert J. Frankel	143	82	1973 to 2008	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
27	Robert Collet	137	79	1978 to 2015	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
28	C. R. McGaughey III	128	68	1978 to 2025	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
29	Martin Pipe	128	46	1981 to 2006	Champion Hurdle	£450,000
30	Brad H. Cox	122	79	2017 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
31	Freddy Head	114	71	1999 to 2021	Dubai Turf	£4,511,278£4.5m
32	Carlos Laffon-Parias	107	68	1995 to 2024	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
33	Woody Stephens	106	55	1949 to 1989	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
34	Vincent O'Brien	105	38	1948 to 1993	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
35	Francis-Henri Graffard	104	75	2012 to 2026	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
36	Steven M. Asmussen	102	48	2000 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
37	Mark E. Casse	102	60	1981 to 2026	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
38	Stefano Botti	100	28	2009 to 2026	Derby Italiano	£447,692
39	Mark Johnston	96	55	1994 to 2022	Dubai Sheema Classic	£4,511,278£4.5m
40	Nigel Twiston-Davies	90	44	1987 to 2024	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
41	Richard Hannon Sr.	90	49	1973 to 2013	St James's Palace Stakes	£650,000
42	Dick Hern	89	43	1958 to 1997	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
43	Bruno Schütz	88	36	1971 to 1997	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
44	Philip Hobbs	88	47	1986 to 2026	Champion Hurdle	£450,000
45	Andreas Schütz	87	47	1998 to 2023	Hong Kong Mile	£3,040,000£3.0m
46	Henri-Alex Pantall	87	60	1989 to 2026	Prix de Diane	£854,701
47	Christophe Clement	85	49	1992 to 2024	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
48	Charles Whittingham	84	30	1956 to 1996	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
49	Jim Fitzsimmons	83	25	1922 to 1966	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
50	Sven von Mitzlaff	81	29	1958 to 1986	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
51	Uwe Ostmann	81	40	1979 to 2011	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
52	Barry Hills	80	43	1970 to 2011	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
53	John Hammond	79	57	1987 to 2011	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
54	David Smaga	79	52	1979 to 2021	Prix Guillaume d'Ornano	£341,880
55	Ron McAnally	77	38	1961 to 2014	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
56	Luca Cumani	76	54	1980 to 2018	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
57	Patrick Biancone	76	57	1980 to 2020	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
58	Mike de Kock	75	26	1999 to 2022	Dubai Sheema Classic	£4,511,278£4.5m
59	Paul Cole	74	60	1983 to 2019	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
60	William Haggas	72	56	1988 to 2026	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
61	Mario Hofer	72	48	1990 to 2018	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
62	Fulke Walwyn	71	28	1946 to 1986	Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris	£726,496
63	François Mathet	70	36	1950 to 1982	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
64	Dermot Weld	70	32	1973 to 2020	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
65	Alan King	70	44	1999 to 2026	Champion Hurdle	£450,000
66	Alec Head	68	49	1952 to 1983	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
67	François Doumen	68	46	1986 to 2016	Dubai Turf	£4,511,278£4.5m
68	Jonathan Pease	67	53	1985 to 2014	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
69	Roger Attfield	67	23	1975 to 2020	Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf	£1,503,759£1.5m
70	Jonjo O'Neill	66	38	1991 to 2026	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
71	H. Graham Motion	64	44	1997 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
72	Jerry Hollendorfer	64	39	1989 to 2019	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	£1,503,759£1.5m
73	Theo Grieper	64	33	1970 to 1995	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
74	Todd Pletcher	63	38	1998 to 2025	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
75	John W. Sadler	61	36	1986 to 2025	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
76	Cecil Boyd-Rochfort	61	18	1928 to 1968	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
77	Markus Klug	61	36	2013 to 2024	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
78	Max Hirsch	60	25	1915 to 1968	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
79	Clive Brittain	60	44	1974 to 2008	Japan Cup	£5,493,600£5.5m
80	H. Allen Jerkens	60	33	1962 to 2007	Jockey Club Gold Cup	£751,880
81	Guy Harwood	60	40	1971 to 1993	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
82	David Nicholson	59	33	1977 to 1999	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
83	LeRoy Jolley	58	41	1962 to 1991	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
84	Kiaran McLaughlin	56	41	1994 to 2019	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
85	Fred Rimell	56	26	1948 to 1981	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
86	Waldemar Hickst	56	35	2006 to 2026	Preis der Diana	£427,350
87	Ian Balding	55	45	1965 to 2001	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
88	Hein Bollow	55	29	1968 to 1988	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
89	John Gaver Sr.	54	25	1936 to 1974	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
90	Jim Bolger	54	24	1978 to 2021	Hong Kong Cup	£3,800,000£3.8m
91	Gordon Elliott	54	28	2007 to 2026	Grand National	£1,000,000£1.0m
92	Noel Murless	53	20	1949 to 1974	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
93	Alduino Botti	53	23	1982 to 2022	Derby Italiano	£447,692
94	Dan Skelton	53	36	2014 to 2026	Ryanair Chase	£375,000
95	Nick Zito	52	28	1990 to 2011	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
96	Fred Winter	52	25	1970 to 1988	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
97	John Moore	51	15	1993 to 2020	Hong Kong Cup	£3,800,000£3.8m
98	John Cunnington Jr.	51	42	1962 to 1991	Prix Jacques Le Marois	£854,701
99	Henk Grewe	51	34	2018 to 2026	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
100	Peter Chapple-Hyam	50	38	1992 to 2012	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
101	Bruno Grizzetti	50	23	1990 to 2014	Derby Italiano	£447,692
102	Laz Barrera	49	34	1971 to 1990	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
103	David Elsworth	49	37	1980 to 2018	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
104	James Rowe Sr.	48	13	1881 to 1928	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
105	Angel Penna	48	35	1968 to 1990	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
106	Olivier Douieb	48	38	1977 to 1987	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
107	Hans Blume	48	33	1991 to 2009	Derby Italiano	£447,692
108	Andrew Balding	47	34	2003 to 2026	Dubai Sheema Classic	£4,511,278£4.5m
109	Dale L. Romans	46	28	2004 to 2018	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
110	Richard E. Mandella	46	24	1982 to 2025	Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies	£1,503,759£1.5m
111	Steve Asmussen	45	31	1996 to 2026	Dubai World Cup	£9,022,556£9.0m
112	Mikel Delzangles	45	38	2003 to 2026	Melbourne Cup	£5,291,005£5.3m
113	Bob Turnell	45	23	1956 to 1982	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
114	Mick Channon	45	34	1995 to 2020	St James's Palace Stakes	£650,000
115	Jimmy Jones	44	26	1947 to 1964	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
116	Michael Jarvis	44	36	1970 to 2010	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
117	Jack Jarvis	44	17	1922 to 1968	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
118	Maurice Zilber	44	31	1970 to 2001	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
119	Nicolas Clément	44	37	1990 to 2022	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
120	François Rohaut	44	33	1986 to 2021	Arabian World Cup	£854,701
121	John Shirreffs	43	29	1994 to 2025	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
122	Scotty Schulhofer	43	33	1966 to 2000	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
123	John Oxx	43	26	1988 to 2012	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
124	Karl Burke	43	34	1996 to 2026	Prix de Diane	£854,701
125	Ben Jones	42	17	1938 to 1952	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
126	Henry de Bromhead	42	28	2009 to 2026	Grand National	£1,000,000£1.0m
127	Harry Thomson Jones	42	34	1962 to 1990	St Leger Stakes	£700,000
128	Mitri Saliba	42	33	1979 to 1987	Poule d'Essai des Poulains	£512,821
129	Michael J. Maker	41	29	2006 to 2025	Nashville Derby	£2,631,579£2.6m
130	Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson	41	21	2000 to 2026	Singapore Gold Cup	£581,400
131	David Pipe	41	25	2006 to 2026	Ryanair Chase	£375,000
132	Jean-Pierre Carvalho	41	29	2010 to 2022	Preis der Diana	£427,350
133	Richard E. Dutrow Jr.	40	32	2002 to 2026	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
134	Neil D. Drysdale	40	27	1975 to 2020	Stephen Foster Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
135	Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards	40	15	2015 to 2022	New Zealand Derby	£551,125
136	Peter Rau	40	31	1991 to 2008	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
137	Kenneth G. McPeek	39	32	1996 to 2026	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
138	Chad Brown	39	21	2011 to 2026	Preakness Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
139	Jessica Harrington	39	28	1996 to 2026	Prix Jacques Le Marois	£854,701
140	Peter Easterby	39	20	1967 to 1991	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
141	Vittorio Caruso	39	23	1991 to 2011	Derby Italiano	£447,692
142	Jens Hirschberger	39	25	2007 to 2018	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
143	Tony Cruz	38	13	1997 to 2023	Hong Kong Cup	£3,800,000£3.8m
144	Joseph O'Brien	38	32	2017 to 2026	Melbourne Cup	£5,291,005£5.3m
145	Colin Tizzard	38	28	2008 to 2022	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
146	Fred Darling	37	15	1907 to 1947	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
147	Sam Hildreth	37	12	1899 to 1929	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
148	J. Elliott Burch	37	20	1950 to 1984	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
149	Bernard Sécly	37	19	1976 to 2002	Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris	£726,496
150	Roger Charlton	37	33	1990 to 2019	Dubai Turf	£4,511,278£4.5m
151	Jean-Marie Béguigné	37	29	1984 to 2011	Prix du Jockey Club	£1,282,051£1.3m
152	Richard Hannon Jr.	37	27	2014 to 2024	St James's Palace Stakes	£650,000
153	MacKenzie Miller	36	22	1956 to 1994	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
154	James E. Day	36	21	1984 to 2001	Breeders' Cup Distaff	£1,503,759£1.5m
155	John M. Veitch	35	29	1977 to 1992	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
156	Murray Baker	35	16	1990 to 2022	Caulfield Cup	£2,645,503£2.6m
157	Alec Taylor Jr.	35	11	1905 to 1927	St Leger Stakes	£700,000
158	Tom Dreaper	35	13	1946 to 1971	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
159	John Fellows	35	26	1971 to 1995	Prix de Diane	£854,701
160	Ryan Price	35	24	1948 to 1982	Champion Hurdle	£450,000
161	Ivan Allan	34	9	1973 to 2003	Hong Kong Mile	£3,040,000£3.0m
162	Neil J. Howard	34	27	1989 to 2017	Preakness Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
163	Frank Butters	34	16	1928 to 1949	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
164	Michael W. McCarthy	34	28	2007 to 2026	Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes	£2,255,639£2.3m
165	Peter Walwyn	34	24	1969 to 1995	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
166	Josh Gifford	34	22	1973 to 2002	Queen Mother Champion Chase	£400,000
167	Christophe Ferland	34	26	2011 to 2026	Prix Vermeille	£512,821
168	Doug O'Neill	33	27	2005 to 2025	Kentucky Derby	£3,759,399£3.8m
169	Bert Mulholland	33	22	1936 to 1967	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
170	Paddy Prendergast	33	15	1950 to 1980	Irish Derby	£854,701
171	Doug Watson	33	15	2005 to 2025	Al Quoz Sprint	£751,880
172	Venetia Williams	33	24	1998 to 2026	Coral Gold Cup	£250,000
173	Philippe Demercastel	33	26	1988 to 2013	Grand Prix de Paris	£512,821
174	Harro Remmert	33	21	1980 to 2002	Deutsches Derby	£555,556
175	Steven M. Asmussen	32	17	2001 to 2024	Breeders' Cup Classic	£5,263,158£5.3m
176	Edward A. Neloy	32	22	1954 to 1970	Kentucky Oaks	£1,127,820£1.1m
177	Mark Frostad	32	14	1994 to 2012	Breeders' Cup Turf	£3,759,399£3.8m
178	Joseph Lawson	32	16	1929 to 1955	Epsom Derby	£1,500,000£1.5m
179	Luigi Camici	32	19	1986 to 2006	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
180	Gordon W. Richards	31	16	1969 to 1998	Queen Mother Champion Chase	£400,000
181	W. Elliott Walden	30	27	1995 to 2005	Belmont Stakes	£1,503,759£1.5m
182	Ralph Beckett	30	27	2007 to 2025	Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe	£4,273,504£4.3m
183	Brian Meehan	30	24	1997 to 2024	Dubai Turf	£4,511,278£4.5m
184	Josie Carroll	30	20	1995 to 2026	Cotillion Handicap	£751,880
185	Richard Fahey	30	25	1998 to 2024	Prix Jacques Le Marois	£854,701
186	Jenny Pitman	30	19	1977 to 1998	Cheltenham Gold Cup	£646,880
187	Andreas Löwe	30	21	1987 to 2014	Preis der Diana	£427,350

The eras

How many of the 187 were winning these races in each decade

Peak: the 1990s

124

123

119

The rise is partly racing and partly the record: a roll of honour from the 1880s names the horse and often nobody else. What the last four decades show is real, and it is yards getting bigger rather than more of them reaching this level.

The specialists

Yards with 40 wins or more, ranked by how few races they came from

#	Trainer	Wins	Races	Wins per race	Span
1	André Fabre	893	156	5.7	1980 to 2026
2	Heinz Jentzsch	220	50	4.4	1967 to 1999
3	Aidan O'Brien	385	97	4.0	1996 to 2026
4	Paul Nicholls	255	66	3.9	1994 to 2026
5	Bob Baffert	377	99	3.8	1992 to 2026
6	James Rowe Sr.	48	13	3.7	1881 to 1928
7	Stefano Botti	100	28	3.6	2009 to 2026
8	Willie Mullins	175	51	3.4	1995 to 2026
9	John Moore	51	15	3.4	1993 to 2020
10	Cecil Boyd-Rochfort	61	18	3.4	1928 to 1968

Two shapes of career sit inside the same win column. André Fabre took 893 wins from 156 races, going back to the same meetings year after year. André Fabre took 893 from 156, which is a different operation run in a different number of countries.

Frequently asked questions

Which trainer has won the most big races?

André Fabre, with 893 wins across 156 of these races between 1980 and 2026. The biggest is the Breeders' Cup Classic, worth £5,263,158.

How much does a trainer earn from a big race?

A percentage of the prize, set by the rules of the country the race is run in, and the prize itself belongs to the owner. The ranking here is on wins, which is the record a yard is judged on.

How many trainers are on this list?

187, out of every yard that has sent out a winner of one of these races. The cut is 30 wins: below that there is not enough of a record to build a page on. Every other winning trainer still appears on the roll of honour of each race they took.

When were the most of these yards active?

The 1990s, with 124 of the 187 sending out winners of these races at some point in it.

What counts as a big race here?

The 965 races on this site, which are the richest and longest-running in the world, and 52,507 runnings of them.