Fitz Will Miss Henderson

Mick Fitzgerald last night paid tribute to Nicky Henderson after announcing plans to retire from the saddle at the end of the season, hailing his boss as a 'top-class trainer and first-class man'.

One of the elite band to win both the Grand National (on Rough Quest in 1996) and the Cheltenham Gold Cup (on See More Business in 1999) ? Fitzgerald, 36, has decided to bring the curtain down on a glittering career at the top that spans almost 20 years.

A new venture will see him become director of an exclusive racing club.

Fitzgerald has won most of the major prizes in National Hunt racing, including the 1999 King George VI Chase at Kempton on See More Business.

And he has a host of victories to his name at the Cheltenham Festival.

Among those are the Queen Mother Champion Chase on Call Equiname (1999), the Stayers' Hurdle on Bacchanal (2000) and the Arkle Trophy on Tiutchev.

Despite not ever being champion, Fitzgerald is one of the six winning-most jump jockeys of all time with well over 1,000 winners.

Fitzgerald has been stable jockey to Henderson for over 10 years and their partnership has been one of the most successful in recent times. Only last season they enjoyed a double at Cheltenham with Fondmort in the Ryanair Chase and Non So in the Mildmay of Flete.

They have also been a most formidable combination at Newbury, winning the Tote Gold Trophy three times with Sharpical (1998), Geos (2000) and Landing Light (2001) and teamed up last season to lift the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup with Trabolgan.

Fitzgerald said: 'I wanted to go out at the top on my terms and this is probably the best way to do it.

'I've ridden some amazing horses and had some fantastic times with Nicky and I've been very lucky to be attached to somebody like him.

'He's a top-class trainer but most importantly a first-class man.

'I've ridden so many great horses, too many to mention and I really couldn't pin down one to say it was the best.

'When I was growing up as a kid in Ireland I wouldn't have believed that I could have had the career that I have had.

'I thought that if anybody rode 100 winners they were lucky, let alone 1,000.'

He added: 'An offer came up to be director of racing for Club ISM and it was too good to turn down. It will be a fairly exclusive and unique operation and I'll be looking after the team of horses and the people inside the club.

'Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Michael Vaughan and Andrew Flintoff have already signed up.

'The great thing is ISM (International Sports Management) itself is such a huge operation. They are aiming to provide what will be a fantastic concierge experience. Everything will be catered for and there'll be plenty of days out involved.

'You can't go on forever and I've been very lucky. I've had a fantastic run.

'For me it has been made even more special that I have ridden for some fantastic people. Be it owners, trainers or whoever.

'Some of the horses I've ridden have been fantastic. I owe them everything.

'I'm not finished yet, I've got some fantastic horses to look forward to riding for Nicky this year too.'

Cork-born Fitzgerald left his native Ireland for England at the age of 18 and had his first winner on Lovers Secret at Ludlow in December, 1988.

He rode for John Jenkins, Richard Tucker and Jackie Retter before joining Henderson and has ridden for virtually all the top trainers in the land.

Like all jump jockeys he has had lots of injuries but has always bounced back.

One of the most respected jockeys in the weighing room, he has also built up a reputation as an expert television pundit.

Champion jockey McCoy admitted he would be losing one of his best friends from the weighing room.

He said: 'He's been a fantastic jockey and his record speaks for itself.

'He's obviously a very good friend of mine and we wish him all the best.

'It must be hard for him, but it's obviously something he's thought about a lot.

'He's been a top jockey for a long time, he's ridden all the big winners and had a very successful relationship with Nicky Henderson. He will miss him more than anyone else as he will be very hard for him to replace.'

(C) PA Sport