Richard Hills to quit saddle

Richard Hills, retained jockey to Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum, is to retire from the saddle on Dubai World Cup night at Meydan on March 31.

In a statement issued through his agent John Robertson, Hills said: “It has been my privilege to ride for Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum as first jockey for the last 15 years and previously as second jockey to W (Willie) Carson for two years. No jockey could have ridden for a more loyal and supportive owner.

“I was very fortunate to start my career with a great man in Tom Jones and without him much of what I have achieved would not have been possible.”

Hills, whose career has spanned 33 years, rode five British Classic winners for Sheikh Hamdan, taking the 1000 Guineas on Harayir (1995), Lahan (2000) and Ghanaati (2009).

He won the 2000 Guineas on Haafhd in 2004 – like Ghanaati trained by his father Barry – and the Oaks on the Michael Jarvis-trained Eswarah in 2005. In 1999, Hills won the Dubai World Cup on the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained Almutawakel.

The statement went on: “I now want to use my knowledge and experience gained during my career to date to further contribute to Sheikh Hamdan and the Shadwell team, including Derrinstown and Shadwell Farms. Closing one chapter, a new one begins.”

Hills had his first winner on Border Dawn at Doncaster in October 1979 and was appointed Sheikh Hamdan‘s second jockey in 1995. He had already landed his first Group One win in those famous blue and white silks on Ashal in the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in 1990.

His other major victories included four Group One races on the Marcus Tregoning-trained Nayef – the 2001 Champion Stakes, the 2002 Dubai Sheema Classic, the 2002 Juddmonte International and the Prince of Wales’s Stakes in 2003.

A renowned judge of pace, two of Hills’ best front-running performances came in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot when providing big shocks on Maroof in 1994 and Summoner in 2001. He also won the St Leger at Doncaster in 1999 for Godolphin on Mutafaweq.

Bookmakers who opened a market on who would be Sheikh Hamdan‘s next stable jockey reported strong support for Silvestre de Sousa.