ANDREW McNamara, a 15-time Grade 1 winning National Hunt jockey, retired from race-riding at Tramore on Friday night on a winner and plans to begin training horses later in the year.

The Co Limerick jockey’s career has spanned 16 years. He had his first ride on his father Andrew’s Nicholl Lady in May 2000, in a bumper at Killarney, and rode his first winner, La Captive, in a bumper at Wexford in July 2002, also trained by his father. As a jockey, he rode nearly 500 winners including 15 Grade 1s, among them the 2005 Cheltenham Champion Chase on Newmill, the 2007 Irish Gold Cup on Beef Or Salmon, the 2008 Irish Champion Hurdle on Sizing Europe and the 2010 Irish Grand National on Bluesea Cracker.

His final ride was at Tramore on Most Honourable for trainer Shark Hanlon. Bought for just £600 at Ascot Sales, the gelding was a well backed 5/1 chance and prevailed by half a length.

Measuring six feet, McNamara is one of the tallest jockeys in the weigh room and, due to ongoing back trouble, he has been advised to retire from race riding. He plans to do the Turf Club trainers’ course in September and will continue working as a presenter for RTÉ Racing and as Secretary of the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund.