Jump jockey Josh Moore has announced his retirement from riding following a serious fall at Haydock in April last year that left him hospitalised for months. The 30-year-old broke his leg, several ribs, suffered a punctured lung and damaged his lower back when his mount fell on top of him.
He later developed a life-threatening infection, requiring sedation and a ventilator. Moore did not leave hospital until July. He has since been assisting his father Gary at their Sussex stables and has accepted his riding career is over.
“Unfortunately I don’t think I would pass any tests to get back now,” Moore told Sky Sports Racing. “I’ve accepted it fine because when I was in hospital, all the nurses were like, ‘You’ve got to stop’.”
Moore, brother of jockeys Ryan and Jamie and broadcaster Hayley, rode over 250 winners, including the 2015 Betfair Hurdle on Violet Dancer and the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase on Ar Mad. His best season was 2020-21 with 40 winners.
He now hopes to take over the training licence from his father in the future. “I will carry on helping Dad out for the time being and then perhaps one day in the future, Dad might hand on the licence to me,” he said.
