Tag Archive for: Jimmy Quinn

No fairytale farewell as Jimmy Quinn bows out

Jimmy Quinn brought the curtain down on his long career at Doncaster on Saturday.

The 57-year-old announced his intention to retire earlier in the year but was persuaded to continue until the end of the season by fellow weighing room veteran John Egan.

Many thought Quinn may call it a day after recording his first winner of the season at Yarmouth last month but he stuck to his original plan.

The rider of well over 1,000 winners, with one of those coming in the Group One Nunthorpe Stakes on Kingsgate Native in 2007, he made his name as a lightweight jockey and won several major handicaps.

Jimmy Quinn's weighing room colleagues helped him celebrate
Jimmy Quinn’s weighing room colleagues helped him celebrate (Nick Robson/PA)

He claimed the John Smith’s Cup on Sir Henry Cecil’s Porto Foricos in 1998, the Lincoln on both High Low for William Haggas (1992) and the Mark Tompkins-trained Smokey Oakey (2008), while he also rode several big-race winners in Germany.

His most successful season was in 2002 when he rode over 100 winners.

“This is definitely the last day. I made a decision and I’m sticking to it. I’ve totally enjoyed it the whole way, there’s been a few hiccups here and there but on the whole I’ve had a great career and I’m very pleased with it,” said Quinn.

“There was no real temptation to quit at Yarmouth the other week. I did say to a few of the lads if I won I’d call it quits, but more fool them for believing me!

“To end it at Doncaster, where I had my first ever ride here almost 40 years ago, it’s nice to finish here as I’ve also had success here, winning two Lincolns. I won at the first ever Sunday meeting here and I also won a Portland – although it was at York, it’s still Doncaster’s race.”

William Buick (right) and James Doyle (left) were among those to pose with Jimmy Quinn
William Buick (right) and James Doyle (left) were among those to pose with Jimmy Quinn (Nick Robson/PA)

He went on: “The Nunthorpe has to be my favourite memory. I’ve won a couple of Chester Cups, all those big handicaps are special for lightweight riders, they are like our Group races, as we don’t get to ride in many.

“I rode for Michael Jarvis, Henry Cecil, Luca Cumani, William Jarvis – I rode for some lovely people. Going right back to the start, Hugh Collingridge was great for me, Paul and Jo Howling, Jack Banks, Jeff Pearce – they were all very loyal to me, as was Julie Cecil.

“I went to Newmarket when I first came over with Richard Fahey, he went north jumping and I never really left. I had stints away in Germany, Hong Kong and Bahrain and I had some success, so it’s all very good.

“People ask me if I would change anything and I wouldn’t.”

Kevin Ryan provided Quinn with his final mount, Dark Moon Rising in the November Handicap – who finished down the field in 21st.

Ryan said: “He’s actually tortured me for a month now! Just like a boxer, I had to give in. I’ve known Jimmy for a long time and he’s had a great career. He’s collared me at the sales about giving him a ride in this for a long time. I’ve known Jimmy a long time, he’s a great bloke.”



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Jimmy Quinn puts off retirement plans – for now!

Britain’s oldest professional jockey Jimmy Quinn has confirmed his intention to continue riding until the end of the season, having initially planned to announce his retirement at Newmarket on Tuesday.

The 56-year-old has enjoyed multiple big-race victories during a 40-year career, most notably making the most of his light weight when coming in for the ride aboard John Best’s rapid two-year-old Kingsgate Native, who provided him with a first Group One victory in the 2007 Nunthorpe Stakes at York.

With the Charlie Hills-trained Bodorgan his only booked ride at this year’s Craven meeting, Quinn felt the time had come to call it a day, but he has now been persuaded to carry on for the rest of the year.

“It (licence) runs out today and word got out on the street pretty quick (regarding the planned retirement),” he told Racing TV.

“I got a few phone calls, positive ones from senior riders and other people riding, and one of them said ‘why are you packing up at the start of the season, why not ride for a bit longer in the summer?’

“I’m going to reapply for my licence again and ride until probably the end of the season on the turf and then say thank you very much.

“I’ve had a lot of support over the years and I’ve had a few good phone calls to say keep going with it. I have no weight issues, I’m pretty fit and ride out every day.

“Even if I get 20 rides between now and then, it’s 20 rides. I enjoy it a lot still, it’s a great job and it keeps you young. It keeps you active and gives you something to aim at every day.”



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