Jim Crowley has announced his retirement from race-riding, ending his comeback attempt 11 months after a severe York fall left him with serious pelvic and leg fractures, internal bleeding and a long road back to fitness.
The 48-year-old said it was “the hardest decision of my life,” but added that after five operations, including one three weeks ago, he had reached the point where returning to the level he wanted was no longer physically possible.
Crowley’s injury came in a sprint-race fall at York and required extensive surgery. He said the damage included a rod through his tibia, plates in his fibula and pelvis, and a total of 20 screws, two plates and one rod. He also said he very nearly died on the day of the accident because of internal bleeding.
That makes the retirement more than just the end of a riding career. It is the end of a difficult recovery attempt, too, after Crowley had spent nearly a year trying to get fit enough to return to the saddle.
A career that crossed jumps and the Flat
Crowley began a decade-long stint over jumps in 1997 before switching to the Flat full time in 2006. That move changed the shape of his career completely. He went on to win the jockeys' championship in 2016 and was appointed retained rider to Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell operation the same year.
He also rode major Group 1 winners for some of the best trainers and horses of the modern era. Among the horses he mentioned were Ulysses, Battaash, Mohaather, Minzaal, Mostahdaf, Anmaat, Hukum and Baaeed, with Sir Michael Stoute giving him the chance to partner Ulysses and William Haggas later providing more top-level opportunities.
Crowley said Battaash came early in his Shadwell spell and stood out in hindsight, while Hukum was one of his favourites. He also said becoming champion jockey was probably the highlight of his career, especially after twice finishing runner-up before finally winning the title as a rider who had come from jump racing.
What comes next
Although he is stepping away from race-riding, Crowley is not leaving the sport. He said he plans to begin training this winter, bringing a long and unusual riding career to a close while opening a new chapter in the same game.
For Crowley, the retirement is tied directly to the seriousness of the York accident, but his comments made clear that he leaves riding with pride rather than regret. After everything he went through, simply reaching this point is an achievement in itself.
