sir gordon's riding career ended in 1954 following a pelvis injury, but he continued to indulge his passion for racing, by becoming a horse trainer and advisor. as a trainer his main owners were the partnership of sir michael sobell and his son-in-law lord weinstock. they placed their first horse, london cry, with richards in 1957 and he went on to win the camridgeshire handicap of 1958. he also trained for lady beaverbrook when she took up her interest in racing. an early owner was dorothy paget and when she died he was an influence in sobell and weinstock purchasing her stud (ballymacoll stud), breeding and racing stock. training first at ogbourne in wiltshire and then at whitsbury stables in hampshire, he sent out many winners and his best horse was the sobell/weinstock owned reform. this colt won 11 of his 14 starts and his victories included the champion stakes, st james palace stakes and the sussex stakes. in addition he trained good horses such as sunny cove, dart board, greengage and pipe of peace. his stable jockey for much of his training career was scobie breasley and when he retired edward hide took over. at the end of the 1970 season he was forced to retire from training. the details were that william hill wished to restart his breeding operation from whitsbury (which he leased to richards). sobell/weinstock negotiated to buy west ilsley stables from jakie astor, but a stipulation of the purchase was that incumbent trainer, dick hern, and stable jockey, joe mercer, remained in place at west ilsley.