Ryan Day
Cumbrian jump jockey Ryan Day rode 101 winners prior to announcing his retirement from the saddle on May 26, 2021 at the comparatively young age of 27.
Cumbrian jump jockey Ryan Day rode 101 winners prior to announcing his retirement from the saddle on May 26, 2021 at the comparatively young age of 27.
He admitted to having “got into racing by accident” and that it wasn’t something he’d always wanted to do from a young age. His family had horses and they obtained an ex-racehorse from trainer Elliott Cooper as a showjumper.
He admitted to having “got into racing by accident” and that it wasn’t something he’d always wanted to do from a young age. His family had horses and they obtained an ex-racehorse from trainer Elliott Cooper as a showjumper.
He went to try the horse and was asked if he’d like to ride another up the gallops while he was there. From then on, he started going there on weekends and school holidays, skiving off school to go racing. He enrolled at the Northern Racing School, then obtained a licence and, as he said, “fell into it”.
He went to try the horse and was asked if he’d like to ride another up the gallops while he was there. From then on, he started going there on weekends and school holidays, skiving off school to go racing. He enrolled at the Northern Racing School, then obtained a licence and, as he said, “fell into it”.
He achieved his first big race triumph on Baywing for his boss Nicky Richards in the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby in February 2017.
He achieved his first big race triumph on Baywing for his boss Nicky Richards in the Grade 2 Towton Novices’ Chase at Wetherby in February 2017.
At one time, when things were not going well, he opted for a change of career and applied to join the fire service. He told the boss who was duly sympathetic. However, over the next fortnight, he was still around the stables, seeing the horses all the time and got his hunger back.
At one time, when things were not going well, he opted for a change of career and applied to join the fire service. He told the boss who was duly sympathetic. However, over the next fortnight, he was still around the stables, seeing the horses all the time and got his hunger back.
Ryan was rewarded for that change of heart when riding the Nicky Richards-trained Guitar Pete to victory in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on December 16 2017. Two months later he guided Baywing to victory in the 2018 Eider Chase at Newcastle.
Ryan was rewarded for that change of heart when riding the Nicky Richards-trained Guitar Pete to victory in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup on December 16 2017. Two months later he guided Baywing to victory in the 2018 Eider Chase at Newcastle.
However, twelve months later it was a very different story when Baywing suffered a fatal fall at the first fence in the 2019 Eider Chase. From then on, things did not go his way. Having achieved double-figure scores in the previous three seasons, his totals fell to nine wins in 2019/20 and just four in 2020/21.
However, twelve months later it was a very different story when Baywing suffered a fatal fall at the first fence in the 2019 Eider Chase. From then on, things did not go his way. Having achieved double-figure scores in the previous three seasons, his totals fell to nine wins in 2019/20 and just four in 2020/21.
He rode what would prove to be his final winner on Royal Arcade, trained by Richards, in a Carlisle novices’ hurdle on March 11, 2021.
He rode what would prove to be his final winner on Royal Arcade, trained by Richards, in a Carlisle novices’ hurdle on March 11, 2021.
It was the Covid shutdown that caused him to rethink his priorities. He said: “It took a global pandemic and an existential crisis to finally realise that I was doing something which wasn't me. Once Covid started and racing got stopped I left Nicky’s for a while and I got involved in doing all sorts of things, and for the first time in my adult life I was part of the real world, all the sorts of things I’d missed out on.”
It was the Covid shutdown that caused him to rethink his priorities. He said: “It took a global pandemic and an existential crisis to finally realise that I was doing something which wasn't me. Once Covid started and racing got stopped I left Nicky’s for a while and I got involved in doing all sorts of things, and for the first time in my adult life I was part of the real world, all the sorts of things I’d missed out on.”
He decided he was no longer enjoying race-riding and didn’t want to get to the point where he hated doing it. Though he resumed riding when racing restarted, he was put in touch with ex-jockey and trainee sports psychologist Aodhagan Conlon by Phil Kinsella at JETS and decided to call a halt after finishing second on Richard’s stable stalwart Duke Of Navan – whom he rode 16 times in races – at Stratford on May 22, 2021.
He decided he was no longer enjoying race-riding and didn’t want to get to the point where he hated doing it. Though he resumed riding when racing restarted, he was put in touch with ex-jockey and trainee sports psychologist Aodhagan Conlon by Phil Kinsella at JETS and decided to call a halt after finishing second on Richard’s stable stalwart Duke Of Navan – whom he rode 16 times in races – at Stratford on May 22, 2021.
Ryan Day with Guitar Pete after winning the Caspian Caviar Chase at Cheltenham in December 2017.
Ryan Day with Guitar Pete after winning the Caspian Caviar Chase at Cheltenham in December 2017.
Winning the Eider Chase on Baywing in 2018.
Winning the Eider Chase on Baywing in 2018.