Sizing John

Sizing John
Racing silks of Alan & Ann Potts
Sire	Midnight Legend
Grandsire	Night Shift
Dam	La Perrotine
Damsire	Northern Crystal
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	13 May 2010
Country	United Kingdom
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Bryan & Sandra Mayoh, Eskdale Stud
Owner	Alan & Ann Potts
Trainer	Henry de Bromhead Jessica Harrington
Record	18: 8-5-3
Earnings	£607,874
Major wins
Future Champions Novices Hurdle (2014) Craddockstown Novice Chase (2015) Kinloch Brae Chase (2017) Irish Gold Cup (2017) Cheltenham Gold Cup (2017) Punchestown Gold Cup (2017)

Sizing John (foaled 13 May 2010) is a British-bred, Irish trained thoroughbred racehorse who competes in National Hunt racing. He is trained by Jessica Harrington and owned by Ann and Alan Potts, and is best known for winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2017. He has been ridden in most of his races by Jonathon Burke, but has more recently been ridden Robbie Power, including in both his Grade 1 wins over fences (the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Irish Gold Cup, also in 2017). He also won a Grade 1 over Hurdles, the Future Champions Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in 2014, and spent much of his early chasing career finishing second or third in races won by Douvan, widely regarded as one of the best chasers of recent times.

Sizing John is a dark bay gelding with tiny white socks on his hind legs, bred in North Yorkshire, England by Bryan & Sandra Mayoh of Eskdale Stud. As a foal he was sent to Ireland and put up for sale in November 2010 at Tattersalls where he was bought for €16,000 by John Bleahan. He eventually entered the ownership of Alan Potts and was sent into training with Henry de Bromhead at Knockeen, County Waterford. The colt was gelded as a yearling.

Sizing John was sired by Midnight Legend, a horse who raced successfully both on the flat and over hurdles winning the March Stakes, Glorious Stakes, Top Novices' Hurdle and Champion Novice Hurdle. As a breeding stallion he has sired several other good jumpers including Midnight Chase (Cotswold Chase) and Seeyouatmidnight (Rendlesham Hurdle, Dipper Novices' Chase). Sizing John's dam La Perrotine was a French-bred mare who showed some ability on the track, winning one National Hunt Flat race and three times over hurdles. Her dam Haratiyna was half-sister to the Italian Derby winner Houmayoun and a descendant of the Poule d'Essai des Pouliches winner Altissima.