Jim Crowley has announced his retirement from riding having suffered severe injuries in a fall at York in September.
Crowley, who enjoyed success under both codes, was riding Almeraq when the horse clipped heels with another runner and came down.
Tiger Bay, ridden by Trevor Whelan, was brought down in the same incident and while both horses have been able to resume their careers, the two jockeys have remained on the sidelines.
Indeed, Almeraq showed his potential when winning at Royal Ascot in June under Tom Marquand in the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes with Crowley, who was in attendance, saying: “It is absolutely amazing to see him do this.
"I was just saying to Richard [Hills] that he was in the Sprint Cup at Haydock Park on the Saturday and the Listed race at York on the Sunday. I wish he had run on the Saturday as I would have been on him today, but that is life and that is one of those things. To be honest we always believed he was a Group One horse.
“It was amazing for William Haggas to get him back as he took just a heavy a fall as I did. I think I broke his fall in fact. To get that horse back from that is amazing."
Crowley has enjoyed many of his finest moments in the Shadwell silks aboard the likes of Baaeed and Battaash.
Speaking of his retirement he said: "It has been tough, the hardest decision of my life. I had my first ride when I was 17, and it’s been tough. Time doesn’t wait for anybody and the injuries I had a York have taken a lot longer than I anticipated. But I feel very fortunate to have come out of that accident because it was a pretty nasty one. On to the next chapter. I just made the decision last night – I thought Goodwood is on, my local track, and it’s a nice way to finish.
“I’ve talked to a couple of my closest friends, whose judgment I really respect, but at the end of day the decision came from me because I have never listened to anyone my whole life. When I was a jump jockey, people said I wouldn’t do any good on the Flat, so that made me more determined. It’s just one of those things and I am young enough to start training now and it’s something that I really wanted to get my teeth into.
“There are so many people to thank. Obviously the whole Shadwell team, Sheikha Hissa and her father Sheikh Hamdan, who got me the job. Angus Gold, Richard Hills, everybody at Shadwell. My Agent, Tony Hind, who has worked tirelessly over the years. Valets, jockeys, stable staff – everybody has helped me along the way. There are a thousand emotions running through me, good ones, sad ones, but I have had a lovely send off and there’s no finer place, so I’m very happy.
“Baaeed was special and Goodwood has always been a lucky track to me. I rode my 2,000th winner here as well, so it’s great to finish here. I have had so many good horses and was fortunate to be champion jockey, which got me the position with Shadwell. Baaeed, Hukum winning the King George, Ulysses, Battaash, Mohaather, Anmaat, so many. You would settle for one of those but to get all of them, I have been so spoilt.
“Training won’t be immediate. I have done all my modules but I want to travel a bit, see some different trainers and spend a bit of time with them. Certainly, over the winter time or next year, I will be looking to start.”
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