Darley decides to call it a day
The 47-year-old, top rider in 2000, has been competing at a high level for considerable time since winning the leading apprentice title in 1978.
Darley enjoyed associations with a number of trainers including Mark Johnston, for whom he rode Attraction to land the English and Irish 1,000 Guineas as well as the Coronation Stakes and Sun Chariot three years ago.
He also won the French Derby on Celtic Swing and the St Leger aboard Bollin Eric.
Explaining the move, Darley said: “It’s one of the hardest decisions I’ve had to make.
“I had great expectations at the start of the year to ride a good horse in Reverence and some of Mark Johnston’s and they dropped away.
“The year then started very slowly and as it went on I picked up one or two niggling injuries that didn’t go away as quick as they used to.
“I’m not 22 anymore, I’m 47, so I’ve decided to call it a day,” he said. “I’ve got all my faculties and I think I’m still riding as well as ever and that is basically the reason why I want to go out at a level I’m happy with.
“I’ve ridden lots of good horses but the one that sticks in my mind is Celtic Swing.
“I was partly responsible for buying the horse with Peter Savill, with whom I had a great association.
“I had been waiting goodness knows how long to win my first English Classic and thankfully I won the St Leger for some great people (with Bollin Eric).
“It was a great day and perhaps I went a little over the top celebrating when I went past the post but you could see how much it meant to me.”
Reiterating his decision to hang up his riding boots while competing at a high level, Darley added: “It was a very difficult decision to make. “But I wanted to go out at a decent level.
“I didn’t want to carry on to a point when I was just making the numbers up.”
