Dunwoody hails retiring Maguire

Adrian Maguire announced his retirement from the saddle on medical grounds on Monday and racing’s professionals were quick to pay tribute to the jump jockey, with Richard Dunwoody hailing the Irishman as the “best rider in the last 20 years not to have been champion”.

Maguire, 31, has failed to recover sufficiently from a broken neck suffered in a crashing fall on Luzcadou at Warwick in March, after which he had to wear a metal ‘halo’ brace for two and a half months, to continue his career.

In a statement released to PA Sport, Maguire said: “It is with great sadness that on medical advice I have to announce that I will not be returning to riding.

“I have received a report from the Jockey Club’s independent neurological and spinal surgeon, Professor Peter Hamlyn who examined scans taken recently of my injured neck.

“Professor Hamlyn states that although I have recovered to some degree from the original injury, a substantial portion of my neck is fixed rigid and the remainder of the neck is now more susceptible to fracture.

“I have discussed the medical reports with the Jockey Club’s chief medical adviser, Dr Michael Turner, who has explained that under no circumstances would he be able to pass me fit to ride again. With the hazardous nature of jump racing, I have to accept that resuming my career is no longer an option.

“I have enjoyed a fantastic career as a jump jockey and I never wanted this day to come. As they say, all good things must come to an end and now, a new beginning.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the consultant neurosurgeon, Mr Chocksey, who carried out the difficult surgery following the accident in March this year. It was due to Mr Chocksey’s skill that has enabled me to remain able bodied for which I will be ever grateful.

“This news has come as a shock as I so wanted to ride again.

“I have no immediate plans and I will take all the time available to discuss things with my family over the coming weeks and months.”

His boss Ferdy Murphy led the tributes.

He said: “It’s a shame but I suppose at the same time it’s great that he’s gone out in one piece.

“Everything is intact and he’s made a fantastic recovery but the specialists felt that if he got another fall he could do some more damage and nobody wants that.

“He’s got to think about Sabrina and the two kids.

“We go back a lot of years and he’s ridden some great races for us and some lovely horses.

“Basically he had everything you wanted in a stable jockey. He was a great horseman, a great jockey, a nice fella – he had all the attributes.

“Sibton Abbey winning the Hennessy sticks out and also he won a novice hurdle on a horse called Millions up at Sedgefield last year that I don’t think anybody else would have won on – it’s the only time the horse has won.

“He had everything.”

Champion trainer Martin Pipe supplied Maguire with his first big winner in this country when Omerta landed the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir Challenge Cup at Cheltenham in 1991.

He said: “It’s very upsetting for everybody in racing because Adrian rode his first big winner for me as an amateur at Cheltenham on Omerta.

“He really had a very bright future from there and did extremely well – he was just unlucky with falls and we’re all very sad for Adrian but the main thing is he’s still got his health.

“He’s still in one piece and we wish him good luck with whatever he does in the future.

“I’m sure he’ll stay in racing and I’m sure he’ll make a great success of it.

“He was a really good jockey, a very good jockey indeed and I would have loved for him to come to me and have ridden more often.”

Maguire enjoyed his best season in 1993/4 with 194 winners just three behind Richard Dunwoody in the title race

Dunwoody was also forced to quit through injury and sympathised with Maguire’s plight.

He said: “It’s very sad for him. At 31 he certainly had four or five years of his career left – at least.

“He’s just got to look on the bright side. It’s difficult having been in the same position. It’s not going to be easy for him but it could have been worse.”

Recalling his tussle with Maguire, Dunwoody added: “We had a great battle that year. Certainly in the last 20 years he’s the best jockey not to have been champion.”

Maguire enjoyed his 1,000th success in Britain on Fiori at Carlisle last November and having added a further 24 to that total currently occupies sixth place in the list of winning-most jump jockeys in British racing history.

He was stunned on learning the news last week and he said: “I feel like I could do the job tomorrow but with the risks involved I can’t.

“I’m going to take time out to get used to the fact that I’m not race riding anymore and see where we go from there.”

Remembering some of the highlights of his 12-year career he said: “To ride winners at the Cheltenham Festival was something I’ll never forget.

“Horses like Viking Flagship and winning two King Georges – it was great to ride Florida Pearl last year.”

Florida Pearl’s trainer Willie Mullins was shocked to hear the news but said: “It must have been a hard decision for him to make because he seemed to enjoy and like riding so much and he was one of the best jockeys of his generation.

“He gave our horse a fantastic ride on the day, an inspired ride I would say.

“He just seemed to be part of his horse, him and the horse were just one unit.

“He got the most out of his horses and he really got them jumping well and for any young fellow starting out riding he was always one to watch.

“We have to wish him well with whatever he wants to do in the future. I’m sure he’ll be missed by the team of riders. But at least he can walk away and is young enough to take up another walk of life.”

Tony McCoy was also stunned to hear the news.

“It’s horrific news,” the champion jockey told attheraces.

“I said when I broke Richard Dunwoody’s record that along with Richard Dunwoody, Adrian Maguire and Charlie Swan were the best jockeys I’ve ridden against.

“And I still think that of Adrian Maguire. He was brilliant, very natural.

“He had a lot of very bad falls. For someone who has ridden so many winners and had a lot of good luck he had a lot of bad luck as well.

“It’s sad to see him retire at such a young age.

“He was a brilliant jump jockey, brilliant to watch and a brilliant fella and will be sadly missed in the weighing room.”

Maguire’s agent Dave Roberts echoed Dunwoody’s thoughts saying: “I still say to this day in my racing lifetime he’ll be the best jockey that has never been champion. In my mind he’ll always be a champion.”

Roberts acted for Maguire for 10 years and went on: “I think it’s a sad day for racing. I think it will be a great loss to jump racing.

“One of the last best ‘spares’ we picked up was Florida Pearl in the King George.

“Toby Balding always said that Adrian made me and I made Adrian.

“We’ve had 10 years together – 10 very happy years. I’ve only got respect for him as a person and a jockey.

“I wish him all the very best.”

Weighing room colleague Mick Fitzgerald told attheraces: “I would like to wish Adrian the best of luck.

“Adrian and I have been the best of friends for a long time. I was runner-up to him in the conditional jockeys’ title a few years ago (1991/2) and we’ve come a long way since then.”

When Maguire came to Britain he rode for Toby Balding and they teamed up to take the 1992 Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup with Cool Ground.

“Without a doubt he was the greatest jockey not to have been champion,” said Balding.

“He’s always been a pleasure to work with, a pleasure to watch and no-one was better for me.

“He was good on Cool Ground but he was pretty good on a few others besides.

“Top man, top jockey, very much missed but I hope to goodness racing doesn’t lose him because he’d do a number of jobs admirably.”