Joe Fanning, one of Britain's most successful jockeys, has announced his retirement from racing with immediate effect at the age of 55. The veteran rider, who was the winning-most active jockey in Britain, had been absent from the track since November last year after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Career highlights and achievements
Fanning rode nearly 3,000 winners during his career, placing him among the elite in British racing history. Only six other jockeys, including legends Lester Piggott and Frankie Dettori, have ridden more winners. He played an integral role in the success of trainers Mark Johnston and his son Charlie, for whom he rode Subjectivist to victory in the 2021 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.
In 2025, Fanning rode 50 winners before his absence from the track. He explained earlier this year that he had not been riding because of a prostate cancer diagnosis. During screening in 2024, his PSA level was found to be high, leading to an MRI and biopsy after the level spiked. He underwent surgery to remove his prostate in February this year.
Recovery and decision to retire
In anticipation of a possible return to the saddle, Fanning started riding out for Charlie Johnston in Middleham last month, 12 weeks after surgery. However, on Tuesday, he announced via his agent Niall Hannity that he had taken the decision to retire.
“After discussing it with my family and close friends, I’ve decided to retire from riding with immediate effect,” Fanning said. “Although I made a full recovery from prostate cancer at the end of last year, I feel now is the right time, with so much of the current season already behind us.”
Fanning expressed gratitude for his career, which began in the UK after he arrived to join Tommy ‘Squeak’ Fairhurst in 1988. He has ridden close to 3,000 winners worldwide. “There are so, so many people to thank but it goes without saying that my association with Mark, Deirdre and Charlie Johnston, spanning three decades, has been a huge part of my career and the source of so many memorable winners,” he added.
Memorable victories and future plans
Fanning picked out his Group 1 successes on The Last Lion in the 2016 Middle Park Stakes and Subjectivist in the 2021 Ascot Gold Cup among his highlights. Signing off, he said: “Make no mistake, I’m not disappearing from racing. I’ll continue helping my wife Sarah with our sales and pre-training business and I’ll also carry on riding work for Johnston Racing, where I was this morning.”
