One of the stalwart jockeys of the Flat scene has been forced into retirement after a long injury absence.
Dane O’Neill called time on a 32-year career in the saddle as a result of injuries sustained in an horrific accident in July last year. The 48-year-old broke seven ribs and fractured the T6 vertebrae when he took a crunching fall in the home straight of a race at Wolverhampton that had to be stopped so he could receive attention.
While absent he missed the winning ride on Mostahdaf in the £1 million Juddmonte International. Frankie Dettori replaced him. O’Neill had two metal rods and eight screws inserted during surgery and was hoping to return to the saddle last autumn and resume his role as second jockey to the powerful Shadwell stable.
“I’ve given it a good go but unfortunately it is just not healing,” he said. “There’s quite a significant gap between the vertebrae and there was damage to the other vertebra as well,” said O’Neill.
“It’s filled in a little bit, but not enough and it is mainly filled with scar tissue, so it wouldn’t take another impact. But on a positive note, because I broke seven ribs as well, once I healed and it stabilised, I’ve never really suffered any pain and I’m leading a normal life, so I’ve got to be thankful for that.
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O’Neill had long associations with the stables of Richard Hannon and Henry Candy before he took on the Shadwell role, for whom he spent many winters riding in Dubai, including three Group 1 races.
He rode many of the operation’s top horses, landing the inaugural Commonwealth Cup on Muhaarar, the September Stakes on Mostahdaf and guided Baaeed to his first two victories.
“I got 32 years out of it, so while it isn’t the way I wanted to end it, it’s a good chunk of time,’ he said. "The writing has been on the wall, I’m 48 so I wasn’t going to get another ten years or anything, but 32 years has been a fair chunk of my life, so I’m thankful
“I don’t know what I’ll do next but I got my money’s worth out of it. Racing is all I know, there’s not many routes when you leave school at 16, but I’ll be involved in some capacity, I’d hope.”
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