Kelly: "In the time that I have been a jockey the number of female jockeys has grown enormously and I think that there are a huge amount of opportunities for women coming into the sport"
Thursday 9 July 2020 14:17, UK
Record-breaking jump jockey Lizzie Kelly has announced her retirement from horse racing after 11 years in the saddle.
The announcement follows news she and her husband are expecting their first child later this year.
Kelly became the first woman to win a Grade 1 race in Britain over Jumps with Tea For Two in the Kauto Star Novices' Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day in 2015.
The 27 year-old continued to make a name for herself becoming the first female in 33 years to compete in the Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival on Tea For Two in 2017.
She won twice at the Cheltenham Festival, onboard Coo Star Sivola in the Ultima Handicap Chase in 2018 and a year later with Siruh Du Lac in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase.
The Devon-based jockey said: "I am announcing my retirement today with the news that my husband and I are expecting our first child. I will miss riding in races, the weighing room and everyone in it. Having two Cheltenham Festival winners is definitely something I will remember forever.
"The big winners are an important part of a jockey's career; it's what you put all your hard work and efforts into getting. The part of the job I enjoyed the most was riding young horses on their first time on the racetrack and looking after them - I got a real kick out of that. I will remain heavily involved in racing and pre-training. The long-term goal is to train but I am sure there is nothing that will replace riding in races."
"I want to take the opportunity to thank the huge amount of people who have helped along the way; my husband Ed, Mum and Chester, the team and all of the owners at Culverhill Farm, Rodi Green, Neil King, Ginge and the hordes of other people who taught me, helped me and encouraged me over the past 11 years.
"The girls in the weighing room who made it feel like home and the lads on the other side who were so good to me. I really have had a career that I could never have imagined and I've been blessed to be associated with the horses that I have ridden.
"In the time that I have been a jockey the number of female jockeys has grown enormously and I think that there are a huge amount of opportunities for women coming into the sport. I think everyone gets good opportunities now."
