Former Cheltenham Festival race winner announces his retirement live on TV as the jockey is forced to end his career early after crash he described as like ‘hitting a wall at 30mph’

Aidan Coleman has announced his retirement from racing at the age of 35 following a crash at a meeting in Worcester last year, which he described as like ‘hitting a wall at 30mph’.

The former Cheltenham Festival winner suffered a serious knee injury in June, when his mount Ascension Day, ran out and crashed through the wing of a hurdle. 

It left the Irish jockey with a shattered tibia, and speaking on Racing TV, he has now announced his retirement from the sport on medical grounds.

In an emotional interview on Luck on Sunday, he said: ‘The prognosis early was quite bleak about returning to ride. 

‘Around September I was kidding myself that I could get back from this, then around Christmas I had another operation and the progress has really plateaued.

Aidan Coleman announced his retirement on Racing TV after a knee injury suffered last June

Coleman (seen riding Paisley Park in 2022) crashed through a wing of a hurdle on his mount, Ascension Day, back in June which left him with a shattered tibia

‘I can do the gym, but I can’t run or jump. I can’t ride a horse really. A lot of people would say I couldn’t anyway, so what’s the difference, but every time I’ve tried to ride a horse since Christmas it’s not gone well.

‘I just can’t really do it or ride in a race or anything. Speaking to Jerry Hill [the BHA’s chief medical adviser] and my surgeon, my chances of improving are negative now so that’s it. 

‘My knee will never stand the demands of being a jockey or get anywhere near it.’

Coleman was a multiple Grade 1-winning rider and is best known for his association with leading staying hurdler Paisley Park, who led him to victory at the Cheltenham Festival back in 2019.

He also famously won in the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Henry de Bromhead-trained Put the Kettle On in 2021. 

His most successful season was between 2015 and 2016 when he partnered 129 race winners, and in total across his career he rode 1,251 winners in Britain and Ireland.

However, back in 2009, he opted not to ride 100-1 Mon Mome in the Grand National, with Liam Treadwell instead steering the horse to victory at Aintree. 

Back in December, he told the Racing Post that he fears the injury he suffered at Worcester will leave him with major lifelong consquences, insisting a new knee is a ‘certainty’.

Coleman is a multiple Grade 1 winning rider with famous victories on the likes of Paisley Park and Put The Kettle On (pictured after finishing first in the Queen Mother Champion Chase)

Coleman (pictured in 2017) said his crash last year was like ‘hitting a wall at 30mph’

He said: ‘The horse was a big price [40-1 in a maiden hurdle] but I knew him, I’d schooled him for Shaun Lycett, who trains over the road, and it was just a freak accident.’

‘It was weird. I don’t know why he did it. Every horse looks to go right at Worcester late on because the pre-parade ring is there, but for some reason he went left, he jumped the third-last in front on his own, the second-last in front on his own, and I’d schooled him loads of times on his own, but he decided not to jump the last, hit the wing, straight on into my knee at 30mph. 

‘Everything else was fine, no injury at all, just the knee, and I’m still paying the price.’