DECLAN McDonogh is to ride as a freelance jockey next season following the news that John Oxx will not be retaining a jockey for the 2018 season.

The former champion Irish flat jockey has ridden for the Oxx stable since the start of the 2013 season. The pair’s biggest successes together included group race victories with My Titania and Sea Of Grace, while the latest campaign yielded listed victories with Naughty Or Nice and Red Stars.

“Mr Oxx has decided not to retain a jockey for next season so I’m going to be riding freelance as well as looking to strengthen and develop the existing relationships that I have built up with various trainers,” said McDonogh who numbers a trio of Group 2 victories and several premier handicaps amongst his big race successes in 2017.

“For the last five seasons it has been a privilege and an honour to ride for one of the world’s great trainers. I have enjoyed each and every minute of my time as stable jockey to Mr Oxx and I would like to thank him and all his owners for their support since I first joined the yard in 2013.

“I hope to continue riding for Mr Oxx over the coming seasons and I’m sure that we will enjoy more success together in the future,” added McDonogh, who will head to Australia next week for a winter stint which will conclude in early February.”

The 37-year-old jockey ‘s 10-week spell there will be with the father-and-son team of Peter and Paul Snowden, trainers of the top-class Redzel.