16 Former Legends Go For This Year's Leger Legends Race

Now in its ninth year, the Leger Legends race sees retired jockeys of the saddle dust off their breeches and return to action. With all proceeds raised by each jockey split between the Northern Racing College and Jack Berry House in Malton, the charity are aiming to raise over £1,000,000 in total from the inauguration of the race. With over 6,690 winners between them, this year's renewal is set to be a crowd-pleaser. check out this year's jockey below

2018 Jockeys

IAN MONGAN
 

Born: 1979        Retired from race riding: 2013             Total winners: 860

 

Ian rode his first winner, Harik, for Gary Moore at Lingfield in 1998, before turning professional in 2000. His career highlight came in 2011, when he rode Twice Over to victory in the Group one Juddmonte International for Sir Henry Cecil. Whilst he was a stable jockey for Sir Henry, he also played his part in Frankel’s glittering career, by partnering famous Bullet Train, in five of the six races in which he acted pacemaker for Frankel. Ian is now Assistant Trainer to his wife Laura and together they made history by training Harbour Law to win the St Leger and making Laura the first lady rider since 1776 to win the race.

LUKE HARVEY

 

Born: 1966      Retired from race riding: 1999           Total winners: over 250

 

Luke turned professional aged 18 in 1984, and shortly after rode his first winner under rules on 33/1 shot Bickleigh Bridge at Taunton. He lost his conditional claim in 1987, shortly after partnering Taberna Lord to win the Coral Golden Hurdle at Cheltenham Festival. Other career highlights include Cool Ground’s successes in the Welsh National and Peter Cazalet Memorial, Katabatic King winning the Silver Trophy Chase at Cheltenham and a big race double at Ascot riding Solidasarock and Blueberry King. Luke is now a freelance journalist and presenter at ITV and At The Races.

OLLIE PEARS

 

Born: 1975          Retired from race riding: 2002          Total winners: 168

 

Ollie started out riding at 12 for trainer Steve Norton in High Hoyland near Barnsley. Steve Norton took out Ollie’s apprentice license on his 16th birthday and just two days later, he had his first ride out at Doncaster. Ollie’s first winner came in May 1991 on Thimbalina for his boss. Career highlights include winning the John Smith’s (Magnet) Cup at Doncaster on Mr Confusion for Steve Norton and also riding a hat-trick at Carlisle when he was 18. Ollie has held his trainer’s license since November 2007 and is based in Norton near Malton.

 

BRIAN HARDING 

 

Born: 1972            Retired from race riding: 2017        Total winners: 630

 

Brian grew up in Castletownroche, near Fermoy Ireland. His father and the late Liam Cashman of Rathberry Stud started Brian on his career path by arranging for the 15 year old to ride as an apprentice for trainer Kevin Predergrast at the Curragh, where he went on to ride five winners on the flat over three years and it was Kevin who sent him to Gordan Richards to fulfil his dream of being a jump jockey. Career highlights include riding One Man to glory at the Cheltenham Festival in the Queen Mother Champion Chase in 1998 and riding outsider Granit D’Estruval to victory in the Irish Grand National in 2004. Brian is now a jockey coach and is concentrating on pre-training and breaking alongside his girlfriend Kelly.

 

GAY KELLEWAY

 

Born: 1963          Retired from race riding: 1989               Total winners: 102

 

Gay had her first ride as an amateur when she was 16. At 17 she rode her first winner for Clive Brittain and was runner up for the Ladies Amateur Championship that year, she came first in that championship the next year, at 18 she is the youngest ever lady to have won the championship to this day. She became a professional jockey at 19 years old. During her career she rode 86 winners in the UK and 16 winners abroad including New Zealand. She was leading lady jockey for 2 years. She was the first woman to ride in a classic race and she is still the only woman to have won a race at Royal Ascot in 1987 with Sprowston Boy in the Queen Alexandra Stakes. Gay has been training successfully for 27 years and counting!

GARY BARDWELL

 

Born: 1968                 Retired from race riding: 2002                   Total winners: over 500

 

Gary first went to trainer Mick Ryan’s yard and worked as an apprentice to him upon leaving school.  He rode his first winner at Hamilton on Beechwood Cottage for Alan Bailey and was Champion Apprentice in 1987 and 1988. Other career highlights include winning the Ayr Gold Cup, the Chester Cup twice, the Winter Derby, the Royal Hunt Cup and the Bunbury Cup. He also managed to ride a winner at every British racecourse whilst he was still an apprentice. Gary now works for Godolphin at Saeed bin Suroor’s yard.

ADRIAN NICHOLLS

 

Born: 1981                 Retired from race riding: 2016                    Total wins: over 700

 

Adrian started his apprentice with Barry Hills in 1996 and then went to Ian Baldings, riding out his claim in 3 years. The last winner of his claim came in the Ayr Gold Cup, which he won twice and even had a treble win at glorious Goodwood as a 7 pound apprentice. He has ridden multiple group and listed winners as well as most of the big handicaps; on the way riding two Group 1 winners on Regal Parade ranking high. His international success took him from 600 winners to 700 whilst riding abroad. Adrian is now a newly licensed trainer.

TONY CULHANE

 

Born: 1969                  Retired from race riding: 2013                    Total winners: 1500

 

Started as an apprentice with Reg Hollinshead, he then headed north to establish himself as a top Northern jockey having ridden as a stable jockey to Richard Whittaker, David Chapman and Mary Reveley. He was also closely associated with southern trainers Mick Channon, Barry Hills and William Haggas. Having ridden many good horses including Quito, Youmzain, Misu Bond, Mellotie, Som Tala and Tominator. Winning races such as the Ayr Gold Cup, Northumberland Plate and 2 year old Gold Trophy. Tony has ridden all over the world in Hong Kong, India, Dubai and Europe.

AMY RYAN

 

Born: 1989                       Retired from race riding: 2015                 Total winners: 145

 

Amy has racing in her blood with her father being trainer Kevin Ryan. In 2008, she was champion Amateur Jockey and in 2012 was Champion Apprentice Jockey, riding 40 winners that season. Her first win both as an amateur and a professional were both at Wolverhampton riding Harry Up, with her biggest win being aboard Advanced at Ascot in 2009. Unfortunately, a couple of bad falls resulted in her calling time on her riding career, which Amy misses hugely. She now works as a pundit for Racing UK, along with doing some Show Jumping. 

JAMIE MACKAY 

 

Born: 1983                       Retired from race riding: 2014                 Total winners: over 350

 

Jamie started working as an apprentice for Michael Bell and had his first win in 1999 at Lingfield Park. He lost his claim aged 18 and had great success partnering with Atavus, going on to win several Group Three races and Handicaps. In 2005 riding Fallen in Line, the pair won six races in only twelve days! He has also been second jockey for Sir Mark Prescott and since retiring from race riding now works for Charlie Appleby as part of his work rider team. In 2017, Jamie’s father Allan was left paralysed after a fall only days after his brother Nicky, broke his femur at Chelmsford. It is for this reason that Jamie has chosen to take part in the Leger Legends race, to help raise money for the Injured Jockey Fund.

DALE GIBSON

 

Born: 1968                          Retired from race riding: 2009                  Total winners: 529

 

Dale has ridden in the Leger Legends race since it first began in 2010. He has won the Steward’s Cup that season on Geoff Lewis’ Very Adjacent and other career highlights include winning the Great St. Wilfred Handicap, the William Hill Trophy at York, multiple listed race success and riding five winners for Her Majesty the Queen. Industry respect for Dale’s professionalism was widespread and soon after retiring from the saddle in 2009 he joined the Professional Jockeys Association. He is now Executive Director (Racing) at the PJA alongside being an active Legends committee member- he also won the Leger Legends race in 2014!

BARRY KENIRY

 

Born: 1979                            Retired from race riding: 2015                               Total winners: 280

 

Barry has spent 19 years in the racing saddle, having ridden 280 winners, Barry was George Moore’s stable jockey for many years before taking over as a breaking and pre-training establishment with his wife, Stef. In the last year the pair have trained a handful of winners with limited horses including Da Cappo Dandy at their yard in North Yorkshire.

TED DURCAN

 

Born: 1973                Retired from race riding:  February 2018                       Total winners: 1500+

Ted was born in County Mayo, Ireland and worked as an apprentice upon leaving school for Jim Bolger, for whom he had his first winner, Nordic Pageant, at Fairyhouse in 1992. Ted is a two-time British Classic winner and seven-time UAE champion jockey who has compiled a total of 1500+ winners globally. His major racing wins include the Haydock Sprint Cup (2003) for Tim Easterby, Epsom Oaks (2007) for Sir Henry Cecil, St Leger (2009) for Godolphin and Sun Chariot Stakes (2009) for Rod Collet. Ted has long had an association with Dubai, in particular Godolphin whose partnership lasted the best part of 20 years.  He still remains in the racing industry today, continuing to work alongside Sir Michael Stoute and the Freemason Lodge team combining his interest in the bloodstock world under the banner Durcan Bloodstock.  

ANDREW THORNTON

 

Born: 1972                      Retired from race riding: 2018                             Total winners: over 1000

 

Andrew was stable jockey for Robert Alner for many years and has ridden for Caroline Bailey and Seamus Mullins during his 28 year career. He claimed his 1,007th win aboard favourite Amirr in the 'National Hunt' Maiden Hurdle and has also ridden winners in the Scottish Grand National, Welsh National, King George VI Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup. In his best season he had 86 wins, also winning at Cheltenham Festival three times including The Cheltenham Gold Cup on Cool Dawn in 1998. Andrew- also a BBC Radio 5 live pundit- has been champion Amateur in 1992/93 with 26 winners when riding for the great W.A. Stephenson and has had 69 victories at Wincanton, his most successful track.

TIMMY MURPHY

 

Born: 1974                                      Retired from race riding: 2018 Total winners: 1331

 

Timmy has had 1250 jump winners and 81 over flat and his first National Hunt winner was on The Real Article at Punchestown in 1994. He has also been champion point to point rider twice and had 20 Grade 1 winners. Timmy has won at Cheltenham Festival eight times and ridden winners at every National Hunt racecourse in England and Ireland. This includes winning the 2001 Irish Grand National on David's Lad, the Grand National in 2008 riding Comply or Die and the Scottish Grand National on Merigo in 2010 and 2012. He recorded his 1,000th winner at Taunton on 21 January 2010.  He was the winner of the 2005 Jump Jockey of the Year at the Lester Awards and won the 2008 Ryanair Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on Our Vic.

WILLY TWISTON-DAVIES

 

Born:  1994                           Retired from race riding:  2017                         Total winners: 200

 

Willy- son of trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies- won the Fox Hunter’s Chase over Grand National fences in 2011 at the age of sixteen when partnered with Baby Run. His big wins include Royal Ascot on Primitivo, Sands Of Fortune at Glorious Goodwood and has also partnered Ladies Are Forever to a pair of listed wins on the Flat for Geoff Oldroyd, the Fergal O'Brien-trained Lord Of The Island to a win a Grade 3 handicap hurdle at Sandown. Riding his father's Flying Angel he won the Kingmaker at Warwick before suffering an injury involving two fractured vertebrae and cracked ribs which left him with two metal rods and a number of screws in his back. He has since retired to focus on the bloodstock and training side of racing.

Reserves:

KIM TINKLER

 

Born:                                Retired from race riding:                                    Total winners: 200?

 

Kim is a former top lady flat jockey, based in Malton, and is married to trainer Nigel Tinkler. She now works as Assistant Trainer and is one of a select group of women riders to have ridden over 200 winners.

TONY CLARK

 

Born: 1962                      Retired from race riding: 2004                            Total winners: over 800

Tony had ridden ponies since the age of 10 and due to his small size he progressed from the Pony Club into racing. Once he left school, he began working for Guy Hardwood’s yard in Purlborough and remained there for 26 years. He rode his first winner Downderry at Lingfield in 1979 and was voted the William Hill Most Promising Apprentice in 1981. Tony has ridden some notable horses during his time at Guy Hardwood’s including champion 2 and 3 year old Warning, champion 2 year old Lear Fan and he won the Juddmonte International and Tattersalls Rogers Gold Cup (GR2) at the Curragh on Ile de Chypre. He now rides out in Lambourne for Shadwells.
 

The Leger Legends Race Roll of Honour