Barry Geraghty has announced his retirement as a jockey, at the age of 40, and admits he will “miss the buzz and thrill” of jump racing.
The Irishman has enjoyed a stellar career that has seen him record 43 wins at the Cheltenham Festival and also claim Grand National success in 2003, when winning the Aintree showpiece on board Monty’s Pass.
Geraghty rode his first winner – Stagalier – at Down Royal in 1997 and this year’s Cheltenham Festival proved to be his riding finale – where he rode five winners, including Epatante in the Champion Hurdle.
Only Ruby Walsh has ridden more winners in the Festival (59) and Geraghty finishes his career with an incredible 121 Grade One victories among 1,920 winners overall during a 24-year career.
In a tweet, the man from County Meath said: “A big thank you to my Family Friends and Everyone who has supported me over the last 24 years tonight I am happy to say I am announcing my retirement…. I’ve been blessed to have had a wonderful career and I’m looking to what the future holds.”
Geraghty revealed that he knew this year’s Cheltenham Festival was going to be his last and admits that he would “be lying” if he said he hadn’t had “some second thoughts” but that he has now settled on his decision.
