Top jock Noel Fehily bows out on a high with one last winner at Newbury on Saturday
Steve Jones reports from Newbury as the two-time King George champion claimed a fairy-tale ending to a tremendous career.
NOEL FEHILY brought the curtain down on his sparkling career as a jockey in the best possible way.
The 43-year-old added one final winner when he steered Get In The Queue to an emotional success in the £50,000 Goffs UK Bumper at Newbury.
Punters who piled into the red-hot 1-3 favourite were among hundreds of well wishes who lined the winners’ enclosure to cheer Fehily into retirement.
It was a fitting end to more than 20 years in the saddle. A haul of more than 1,350 winners included 27 top-level prizes.
He was on board when Buveur D’Air won his first Champion Hurdle having won the hurdling’s greatest prize four years earlier on Rock On Ruby.
There were two King Georges on Silviniaco Conti, a Champion Chase on Special Tiara and he stood in for injured Nico De Boinville to win the Henry VIII Chase on Altior a couple of years ago.
Master Minded’s Tingle Creek win in 2010 was one of his first big wins in a career that only really took when he was into his 30s.
Fehily smiled: “It’s hard to pinpoint one day as my best. I enjoyed Silviniaco Conti’s second King George - that was a very special day. Champion Chases, Champion Hurdles – any winner at Cheltenham is amazing.
“There’s been lots of great days. When I won a Grade 1 in Ireland on Unowhatimeanharry that was the only time my parents were there.
“The whole family are here and so many friends have made the effort to get here – it’s unbelievable.
SADDLE SWAP Jockey Phillip Makin makes shock call to give up the saddle and jump straight into life as a trainer
“I’m ready – my mind’s made up. I won’t be changing my mind.
“The lads have been taking the micky out of me all day. That’s what I’m going to miss about the whole job – the craic we have in the weighing room. They’re a great bunch of lads.
“I’ll be having a couple tonight that’s for sure.”
Fehily had struck up a fine partnership with Get In The Queue’s trainer Harry Fry in recent years.
Fry said: “I’m just delighted for Noel. He’s been a brilliant jockey, he’s a great friend and it’s an honour to provide him with his last ride and to come away with a winner on a lovely horse for the future.
LATEST IN RACING
“It’s a perfect, fairytale ending. He’s retiring but he’s not disappearing to the other side of the world. He’s had a huge input in everything we’ve done and hopefully he’ll continue to do so.”
Jockeys, trainers and owners now face the difficult task of replacing one of the weighing room’s ultimate professionals.
But perhaps he’ll be most missed by punters.
At least Fehily made sure, for one last time, they were able to Get In The Queue to be paid out by the bookies.
