Paddy Aspell, the younger brother of dual Grand National winner Leighton Aspell, enjoyed his finest moment in the saddle on Jimmy Moffatt’s popular stayer Chief Dan George in the 2010 William Hill Trophy Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
He won four chases on Chief Dan George and also rode him to finish fifth in the 2009 Scottish National and at Aintree in the 2011 Grand National, where he completed the course in seventeenth place.
Paddy rode a total of 163 over jumps before switching predominantly to the Flat and adding a further 65 successes. His last winner in Britain came on Final Choice in the Professional Flat Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Lingfield on November 13, 2018.
He had another winner in Jersey in 2019 on his first day back from injury but suffered a much worse injury later that same afternoon when his mount slipped up on greasy ground. Paddy damaged four ligaments in his left knee, by far the most complicated injury he’s endured.
He had two bouts of surgery and eventually was passed fit with regards to range and movement, but he was told that further surgery was likely to be required for a full recovery. Having reached a point where he still had a reasonable quality of life and could enjoy riding out, Paddy decided to quit while he was ahead, announcing his retirement from race-riding in July 2020.
Having been a regular pundit on William Hill Radio for several years, he said that he intended to continue with that work.
