Ex-champion jockey Crowley retires 10 months after fall
At age 48, Jim Crowley has announced the end of his jockey career following a severe incident at York racecourse in September when his horse stumbled after contact with a rival and rolled over him. The fall resulted in multiple fractures to his pelvis and legs requiring several surgical procedures, leaving him unable to return to competitive riding standards despite months of recovery.
Crowley's two-decade career saw him reach the pinnacle of flat racing, including winning the champion jockey title in 2016 and accumulating 29 Group One victories alongside more than 2,100 total flat-race wins. Originally a jump racing specialist before switching disciplines, he served as retained rider for a major racing operation and has indicated his intention to remain in the sport by pursuing a training career.
- Former champion jockey Jim Crowley retires after suffering serious injuries in a September racing fall
- His recovery from pelvis and leg injuries proved incompatible with the demands of professional riding
- Plans to transition to training after a 20-year career that included 29 Group One victories
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Flat racing is horse racing on level tracks, and jockeys are the riders who guide the horses during a race. Jim Crowley began in jump racing before moving to flat racing, where he became champion jockey in 2016, a title awarded to the rider with the most wins in a season.
Crowley won 29 Group One races, the highest level of flat racing, and more than 2,100 races overall. He also rode for a major racing operation and has said he plans to stay in the sport as a trainer, preparing horses and overseeing their racing careers.