Mark Johnston steps aside: Charlie Johnston to take full control of record-breaking training yard in 2023 | Racing News

Record-breaking trainer Mark Johnston will relinquish his license next week and hand full control of their Middleham base to son Charlie.

Johnston senior, the most successful trainer in British racing history, has been working in partnership with Charlie since early 2022, combining for 176 winners in Britain.

At the time of merging, the team announced a “five to ten-year plan” for the handover, but three horses have already been entered solely in Charlie’s name next week.

Mark Johnston, who has made clear he is not retiring, began training in 1987 and has amassed over 5000 career winners.

Johnston said: “It has just been coming. Nothing has really changed in terms of our roles. They will continue. I just didn’t feel that the joint-licence worked. It served a purpose and I’m not saying they shouldn’t have joint-licences, I just felt it was a bit of a limbo.

“When we had big successes, Charlie wasn’t getting credit for the part he plays. I just felt that if we were to have a spectacular winner somewhere, it wouldn’t be quite the same as being an individual.

“We went to a joint-licence at the beginning of last year and the plan was it would be at least three or four years, but I just felt there was no point. I just felt it should be one name.

“I’ll still be there, doing the same hours, but in not quite the same capacity as my name won’t be on the licence.

“I just felt the joint-licence was a bit of a pointless exercise. I think in order to get to the races and so on, I will have to have a stable pass for the first time. This will be the first time I have ever been employed by another trainer!

“I’m one of the few, if maybe not the only person, who has never been employed by anyone else.

“None of the licensing really reflects the true situation, as we are both employees of a limited company and nothing changes that. The company has been in existence since 1988 and that hasn’t changed. I’m not retiring.”

The pair will have four runners in the name of their partnership at Lingfield on New Year’s Eve, live on Sky Sports Racing, with the first runners in Charlie’s name set to run at Kempton on January 4.