Hollinshead Leads Tributes For Retiring Darley

Reg Hollinshead knew Kevin Darley was always destined for the top after the experienced jockey revealed he will hang up his riding boots at the end of the Flat season on Saturday.

The former champion jockey, who has ridden around 2400 winners, will bow out at Doncaster's finale at the weekend.

Hollinshead, the veteran Staffordshire trainer, launched Darley's career and provided him with his first winner, Dust Up, at Haydock in 1977.

'Kevin used to come over from Wolverhampton with his father at weekends and school holidays when he was only about 11 and weighed about four stone,' he recalled.

'By the time he had left school, he was ready to race-ride and his experience held him in good stead.

'He was here for about three years and then I got him a job in Newmarket but he didn't really settle so he came back.

'He always had natural ability, but was so keen to learn and would always listen. He's looked after himself, so I don't think he's finished just yet.'

Explaining his plans for retirement, the 47-year-old Darley said: 'It was a very difficult decision to make.

'But I wanted to go out at a decent level. I didn't want to carry on to a point when I was just making the numbers up.'

Recalling the highlights of his career, he added: 'Attraction was a tremendous filly. She won the English and Irish 1000 Guineas and won me five Group Ones.

'I've ridden lots of good horses but the one that sticks in my mind is Celtic Swing.

'I was partly responsible for buying the horse with Peter Savill, with whom I had a great association.

'I had been waiting goodness knows how long to win my first English Classic and thankfully I won the St Leger (with Bollin Eric) for some great people.

'It was a great day and perhaps I went a little over the top celebrating when I went past the post but you could see how much it meant to me.'

Darley has been involved with the Jockeys' Association for some time and is keen to remain involved in racing.

'Obviously with the chief executive's position being vacant for the last six months, myself and AP (McCoy) did a lot of work with Ann Saunders to keep the ship afloat,' he continued.

'If I can still do something for the Jockeys' Association or the BHA we shall see.

'I'm going to take some time ? I don't know how long, maybe two months ? to get race-riding out of my mind but hopefully there will be something there for me in racing.'

Darley was retained by Savill to ride his horses, which included French Derby hero Celtic Swing.

Savill's racing manager, Nick Babington, who was also Darley's agent for five years, said: 'I think the best we managed was 155 winners one year when he was runner-up in the championship, and the worst was 138.

'He was very easy to deal with and a jockey you could always rely on to avoid suspensions.

'He rarely rode a bad race and is a true professional.'

Darley, who won the jockeys' championship seven years ago, secured some of his most memorable victories at York, his local track.

Clerk of the course William Derby said: 'He had a fantastic record at York and was a great ambassador for racing in Yorkshire.

'His two clear highlights on the Knavesmire were when he dead-heated in the Nunthorpe without a bridle on Coastal Bluff (1997) and last year's fairytale ride on Reverence.

'He was always a super help to York racecourse and was also a great horseman.

'He will be sorely missed.'

Darley's former weighing-room colleague Walter Swinburn, who also served his apprenticeship under Hollinshead, said: 'We went through the same great tutor.

'Kevin's a real star, a real professional and he was a very hard man to beat.'

Eric Alston, trainer of top sprinter Reverence, hopes he can continue the partnership for a little longer.

He explained: 'It was a shock actually, I hadn't thought he would be stopping as he rides one for me on Saturday, Novellen Lad, who is a half-brother to Ellens Academy.

'Hopefully we can send him off with a winner.

'Kevin rode for me for quite a while and obviously the two Group One wins were great.

'He was often too busy for me to get him in the years before and the main thing about him is he could always tell you everything about a horse when he had ridden it.'

Bollin Eric's St Leger victory five years ago was unquestionably one of Darley's sweetest moments in the saddle.

In what was a real war of attrition at Doncaster, the jockey coaxed Tim Easterby's tough entire to a power-packed length-and-a-quarter verdict.

'He was a top-class jockey ? still is to be fair,' reflected Peter Easterby, father of the Great Habton handler.

'We appreciate everything he has done for us, especially in the St Leger on Bollin Eric.

'He was brilliant that day and was probably the difference between winning and losing.

'He's a real professional and is a very honest man.'

(C) PA Sport