‘I’ve been fortunate to live my dream every day’ – Jim Crowley announces his retirement from the saddle
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Jim Crowley, whose decision to abandon a successful jumping career was rewarded with the crown of champion Flat jockey and victories in some of the world’s most coveted races on a host of outstanding horses, has announced his retirement from the saddle.
Eleven months after sustaining severe pelvic and leg fractures in a shocking York sprint-race fall, Crowley has ended his efforts to return from injury and instead revealed plans to begin training this winter.
The 48-year-old, whose 2016 jockeys’ championship triumph was followed almost immediately by his appointment as retained rider to Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell operation, enjoyed memorable moments on superstars including Baaeed and Battaash and posted wins in, among other major contests, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Champion Stakes, Eclipse, Prince of Wales’s Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes and York’s International.
“This has been the hardest decision of my life but after a great deal of thought I’ve decided the time has come to retire from race-riding,” said Crowley.
“Since my accident I’ve been struggling to get back to fitness. I’ve had five operations, the last of them three weeks ago. Mentally, I still think I can do it, but physically, it’s just not possible to get back to the level I would want to reach. I’ve got a rod through my tibia, a plate in my fibula, a plate across the front of my pelvis with eight screws and I’ve got another two screws in my hip. In total I’ve got 20 screws, two plates and one rod in my leg.
“I had internal bleeding after the accident and very nearly died that day. The injuries I suffered have made me realise how fortunate I’ve been to enjoy such a long career doing something I absolutely loved. While it’s difficult to close this chapter, I do so with immense pride.”
Baaeed and Jim Crowley win the Juddmonte International in 2022Credit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
Having begun a decade-long stint over jumps in 1997, Crowley switched to the Flat full time in 2006.
“I had a reasonable career as a jump jockey and was lucky enough to ride in some lovely races,” he said. “I’m probably one of the few jockeys in the world who has been able to ride in races as diverse as the Grand Steeple-Chase de Paris, the Velka Pardubicka and Melbourne Cup. In that sense, I think I had a unique career that perhaps nobody else could match. It was beyond my wildest dreams.
“However, when I was riding over jumps I always felt there was something missing. I felt I had more to give but I couldn’t have believed that switching to the Flat would work out so well.
“Looking back at it all, I think becoming champion jockey was probably the highlight of my career. It’s such a difficult thing to accomplish and so few jockeys get the chance to do it. I was runner-up a couple of times and to then win it felt like an amazing achievement, particularly for someone who had come from jump racing.”
Jim Crowley walks through a guard of honour at Ascot after being crowned champion jockey in 2016Credit: Edward Whitaker
Although associated with an array of Group 1 winners, Crowley singled out the William Haggas-trained Baaeed as the best of a hugely impressive collection.
“I’ve been so lucky to have ridden not just one but multiple top-class horses,” said Crowley. “Sir Michael Stoute gave me the chance to partner Ulysses and after him there was Battaash, Mohaather, Minzaal, Mostahdaf, Anmaat, Hukum and, of course, Baaeed.
“Battaash came along quite soon after I got the job. It’s only really when you look back at a horse like him that you think, ‘Wow’. Hukum was one of my favourites because he came back from injury and won a King George. He was a top-class horse who never knew how to lie down. Baaeed stands out, though. He was exceptional. He had everything. From the moment I sat on him I knew how good he was.”
Crowley added: “Holding the Shadwell job for so long was amazing. They are such loyal people. It has been a pleasure to ride for Sheikha Hissa, her father and the family, and I’ve also enjoyed working with Angus Gold and Richard Hills.”
Star sprinter Battaash was one of the best horses Jim Crowley rodeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)
As well as expressing his gratitude to agent Tony Hind, the Injured Jockeys Fund, his weighing room colleagues, owners and racing staff, Crowley stressed the importance of his family. That will remain true when he begins training from the Coombelands estate in West Sussex where sister-in-law Amanda Perrett trains.
“I’ve completed all my training modules, so I now have to apply to the BHA for a licence,” said Crowley. “I want to go to lots of different yards, spending time with trainers and picking up as much useful information as I can. After I’ve done that, I’m hoping I’ll be ready to start over the winter and begin with some of the runners on the all-weather.”
Yet while an exciting chapter is soon to open, a glorious chapter has just closed.
“I’ve been fortunate to live my dream every day,” said Crowley. “I’ve had the privilege of riding some of the finest horses in the world and winning races that, as a young lad, I could only dream about.
“I want to thank everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. I leave the weighing room with nothing but gratitude and wonderful memories.”
Jim Crowley CV and factfile
Full name James Vincent Crowley
Born July 14, 1978
First winner under rules Robbo (trainer Chris Thornton) amateurs’ maiden handicap, Southwell, August 15, 1997
First winner over jumps Captain Marmalade, selling hurdle, Worcester, October 11, 1997
Biggest winner over jumps Masini (2004 Gran Premio Merano)
Last winner over jumps Roddy The Vet, Wincanton, April 23, 2006
First Group winner on Flat Hawridge Prince (2006 Jockey Club Cup)
First Group 1 winner Lord Shanakill (2009 Prix Jean Prat)
Group 1 wins on Baaeed 2021 Prix du Moulin, Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, 2022 Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Sussex Stakes, Juddmonte International
King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Hukum (2023)
Biggest wins on Battaash King George Stakes 4 times (2017 to 2020), 2017 Prix de l’Abbaye, 2019 Temple Stakes, 2019 & 2020 Nunthorpe Stakes, 2020 King’s Stand Stakes
Juddmonte International winners Ulysses (2017), Baaeed (2022)
Coronation Cup winner Hukum (2022)
Prince of Wales’s Stakes winner Mostahdaf (2023)
Eclipse Stakes winner Ulysses (2017)
Sussex Stakes winners Here Comes When (2017), Mohaather (2020), Baaeed (2022)
Champion Stakes winner Anmaat (2024)
Last winner Raaheeb, Ascot, September 5, 2025
Last ride Almeraq, fell, Garrowby Stakes, York, September 7, 2025
Richest prize £750,000 (2023 Neom Turf Cup, Riyadh, won by Mostahdaf)
Highest-rated mounts (RPRs) 136 Baaeed, 129 Battaash, 128 Mostahdaf, 128 Hukum, 127 Ulysses, 127 Mohaather, 125 Minzaal, 125 Anmaat, 123 Ertijaal, 123 Alflaila
Overall European champion Baaeed (2022 official ratings, RPRs, Cartier Award)
Triple champion sprinter Battaash (2018, 2019 & 2020 official ratings, RPRs)
Most prolific Group winners Battaash (9), Baaeed (7)
Most prolific Group 1 winners Baaeed (6), Battaash (4)
Group 1 wins 29
Champion jockey 2016
Most wins in a month 46 in September 2016 (British record)
Most wins in a year in Britain 189 (2016)
Total jumps wins in Britain 253 (1997-2006)
Total Flat wins in Britain 2,103 (1997-2025)
Compiled by John Randall
Read more:
‘It was a tough watch, I’ve never experienced anything like that’ – bittersweet emotions for sidelined Jim Crowley as Almeraq wins Group 1 epic
‘I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I’ll be back’ – Jim Crowley vows to return to saddle next year following horror fall
Jim Crowley recovering from surgery after sustaining a pelvic and leg fracture in heavy fall
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