Darren Beadman retires
The career of one of Australia's greatest jockeys Darren Beadman is officially over.
Beadman, 46, made the announcement on Sunday.
The Hall of Fame jockey has been battling to recover from a barrier trial fall in Hong Kong in February. Beadman damaged neurons and nerves when suffering a diffuse-axonal brain injury, which affects balance, speech and memory.
"As Kim [wife] said to me 'sometimes the hardest decisions in life are made for us'," Beadman said.
"After the fall everything was up in the air and you don’t know what the future holds, there's so many grey areas and I probably only had another few years.
"Really the decision was made for me and since I've come to live with it I've started to get better. It's made life so much easier and I'm getting on with my rehab which is going great."
Beadman started his apprenticeship as a 15-year-old with "the boss", the legendary master of apprentices, Theo Green.
He rode his first winner in 1982 aboard a galloper called Flagette at Wyong.
"I still remember it vividly," he said. "It was a huge feeling. I was having something like my 20th ride.
"I remember jumping and going forward on him. He was a big gangly type and I wasn't very effective on him in the straight but he got the job done and it is a big thrill to ride your first winner.
"I remember the day got better as it went on. I caught the train up there, rode my first winner and came home with Ronnie Dufficy in his Datsun 280ZX. I think it was blue and the ride got better and better all day."
Beadman's first of 92 Group I wins came aboard Inspired in the 1984 Golden Slipper and he won his first Melbourne Cup aboard Kingston Rule for Bart Cummings in 1990. In 1996 he again teamed with the master trainer to achieve the Cox Plate - Melbourne Cup double with Saintly.
"Your first Melbourne Cup is hard to top," he said. "When you start dreaming and start your apprenticeship it's all about the Melbourne Cup.
"The emotion, the build-up, thinking about it for so many years, it made the experience unbelievable."
In 1997, Beadman shocked the racing world when announcing his retirement to become a Baptist preacher before returning to the saddle in 2000 when he forged one of Australian racing's most lethal combinations with John Hawkes and the then Ingham-owned Crown Lodge.
Prior to his first retirement Beadman won two Sydney jockeys premierships in 1994-95 and 1995 - 96. With the backing of Hawkes he won a further five consecutive premierships from 2002-03 to 2006-07.
Beadman ended his career with a four season stint in Hong Kong. During that time 275 winners including six at Group I level.
Beadman's last race ride was aboard the John Moore-trained Military Attack at Happy Valley on February 15. The champion rider went out a winner when recording a 1-3/4 length victory to end his illustrious career.
Best horse - " Lonhro - 10 Group Is. I had a long term relationship with Lonhro and I guess that's why I've got him on top of Octagonal and Saintly. Another reason is after I had that time off he was the horse that helped launch me again. Occy was the toughest horse I rode. He'd go to war for you. Saintly was so placid and always gave you 100 percent. I really don't think we saw the best of him."
Best rival rider - " I've ridden against some great jockeys and everyone had different qualities. There was natural riders, there was gifted rider, horseman. My hero was Ronny Quinton and I always modelled myself on Ronnie's professionalism and his horsemanship. He was the one I had my eyes set on. Peter Cook was one of the most gifted riders I rode against. He had the most beautiful hands on a horse. Mick Kinnane, Lester Piggott, Mick Dittman, Jim Cassidy. I'd be here for a month if I mentioned them all."
Best trainer - "The boss [Theo Green] he was a life coach to me. At that stage of my life he installed great things in me that have carried me through. To be able to be associated with the likes of TJ [Tommy Smith] and Bart [Cummings] and CS [Colin Hayes]. Out of all of them I spent the most time with Bart and he was the Michelangelo of horse training. It's an art how he prepares the horses. Hawkesy's the other one. He became another Theo Green to me where he was like a life coach to me. In riding and life itself, he's a great trainer."
Story: Clinton Payne RaceNet
Photo: www.sportpix.com.au