Jamie Gormley
Jamie Gormley
Jamie Gormley
Jamie Gormley was a successful apprentice who enjoyed his best season in 2018 with 51 winners from 458 mounts.
Jamie Gormley was a successful apprentice who enjoyed his best season in 2018 with 51 winners from 458 mounts.
Hailing from Langholm in the Scottish Borders, he spent most of his career with Dumfries and Galloway trainer Iain Jardine. As a 7lb claimer in August 2017 he won the historic Lanark Silver Bell at Hamilton Park on Sepal, then followed up in a valuable class 2 handicap at Haydock two weeks later.
Hailing from Langholm in the Scottish Borders, he spent most of his career with Dumfries and Galloway trainer Iain Jardine. As a 7lb claimer in August 2017 he won the historic Lanark Silver Bell at Hamilton Park on Sepal, then followed up in a valuable class 2 handicap at Haydock two weeks later.
He won the apprentice handicap at York’s Ebor meeting on Eeh Bah Gum and rode in the Epsom Dash four times. He also rode at Royal Ascot and in Germany.
He won the apprentice handicap at York’s Ebor meeting on Eeh Bah Gum and rode in the Epsom Dash four times. He also rode at Royal Ascot and in Germany.
After losing his claim he found the going tough, despite being a natural 7st 12lb and having no weight issues. By the autumn of 2022 he had won just four races all year from only 70 rides. He announced his retirement in September, admitting he was disillusioned by lack of opportunities.
After losing his claim he found the going tough, despite being a natural 7st 12lb and having no weight issues. By the autumn of 2022 he had won just four races all year from only 70 rides. He announced his retirement in September, admitting he was disillusioned by lack of opportunities.
Looking back on his riding career, he said: “The first three seasons went well but once I turned professional and lost my claim it got harder. I didn’t have the back-up behind me I needed.
Looking back on his riding career, he said: “The first three seasons went well but once I turned professional and lost my claim it got harder. I didn’t have the back-up behind me I needed.
“It’s not the life I want to continue with for the next few years, doing the same thing and not getting anywhere. It was a hard decision because I’ll obviously miss racing, but I’ve just turned 30 and I didn’t want to keep going and be in my mid-30s and not have something to fall back on.
“It’s not the life I want to continue with for the next few years, doing the same thing and not getting anywhere. It was a hard decision because I’ll obviously miss racing, but I’ve just turned 30 and I didn’t want to keep going and be in my mid-30s and not have something to fall back on.
“It’s been a struggle for a while now and I knew the time was coming to say this wasn’t the life for me now.”
“It’s been a struggle for a while now and I knew the time was coming to say this wasn’t the life for me now.”
Having quit racing altogether, he started working for Morrisons Energy Services, with a view to progressing in the field of electrical energy.
Having quit racing altogether, he started working for Morrisons Energy Services, with a view to progressing in the field of electrical energy.