Former champion jockey Paul Hanagan chokes back tears as he announces retirement
Former champion jockey Paul Hanagan has announced his retirement from the saddle at the age of 42.
Hanagan has ridden 2,111 winners which included 98 at Group and Listed level.
He won the Flat jockeys championship in 2010 and 2011, off the back of which he became the late Hamdan Al Maktoum’s retrained jockey.
Hanagan enjoyed his biggest successes for the Dubai owner, landing his only Classic on Taghrooda, who won the Oaks and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 2014. He also won Group 1 races on Wootton Bassett, Mayson, Mukhadram and Muharaar.
He will have his final ride at York in the first race on Friday on Wootton’Sun for his former boss Richard Fahey.
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The Warrington-born jockey was choking back tears as he announced his news on ITV Racing. “As you can imagine it’s quite emotional,” he said.
“It’s so difficult. I think any professional sportsman will tell you how difficult the decision is.
“There are a few things involved in making the decision. I had a pretty bad fall about two years ago and I’ve never quite been the same after it.
“I fractured my back in three places and it’s not so much painful riding but it’s getting to the level of fitness you have to be to be a professional jockey.
“I don’t think I was getting to that standard the last few months. So it was on my mind a lot.
“Not just that, when you’ve been at the top of the game and it was my first season of freelance, it was a big struggle and I found it quite difficult."
He went on: “I just keep telling my boys don’t worry if I get upset. It’s not really upset, it’s more delight at the career that I’ve had.
“If you really want it, things can happen in life. I started with nothing, only a lot of love and a lot of support. I’m very honoured.”
In his best year in 2010, Hanagan rode 210 winners. This year he has partnered 12, among the latest at Beverley last week where he won on Macarone for the Rob Burrow Racing Club, in front of the former Rugby League star who is living with Motor Neurone Disease.
His next role will be as director of racing for the Good Racing Company which fundraises through horse racing by selling memberships to racing syndicates for different horses and is best known for its efforts for Burrow.
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