THE main news on the jockey front this week was the retirement from race-riding of Sammy Jo Bell.

The 27-year-old from Templepatrick hasn’t ridden since landing a mile and half handicap at Catterick on October 10th on the Pam Sly-trained All My Love which brought up her 16th winner of the 2017 season.

She partnered 72 winners in total in Britain, including two as an apprentice during the 2015 Shergar Cup, and 10 in Ireland. Her first success, on her third ride, came for her then boss Kevin Prendergast on Celtic Dane in a 12-furlong handicap at Leopardstown in March 2011.

Sammy Jo fought hard to return to the saddle following the bad injuries she suffered injured at Carlisle in May 2016 when, on leaving the parade-ring, a horse reared up and came down on top of her. After surgery, she was confined to a wheelchair for weeks and only returned to race-riding in early March last year.

Sammy Jo and partner Phillip Makin spent two weeks over Christmas with her mother Jacqui McCullough, sister Sophie and niece Mia. They brought with them three dogs and Phil’s hunter and, having had a few days hunting with Wilson Dennison and the South Tyrones, returned to Yorkshire with two more hunters!

“I have been busy with them since we got back, getting in a couple of days’ hunting, and also with some rehab in the Jack Berry House,” revealed Sammy Jo. “I had discussed retiring in great depth with my parents before announcing my decision and am now looking forward to the next chapter.”

Since moving from Jim Bolger’s to England, Bell was based with Richard Fahey who commented on his Facebook page: “Sammy Jo worked extremely hard to come back from her injury. She discussed her decision to stop some time ago and it was clear it was the right thing. She has some exciting opportunities ahead.”