Nina Carberry has announced her retirement from the saddle a day after weighing-room rival and sister-in-law Katie Walsh revealed she too was bowing out.
Like Walsh, Carberry chose to make her decision public after riding a winner at the Punchestown Festival aboard Josies Order for trainer Enda Bolger.
Carberry has been one of the top riders in the amateur ranks for more than a decade, partnering her first Cheltenham Festival winner when Dabiroun took the Juvenile Handicap Hurdle in 2005.
The 33-year-old went on to ride a further six Festival winners and also claimed the Irish Grand National aboard Organisedconfusion in 2011.
“I think either way I would have stopped today. Today was the day and it was just nice to have Josies to bring me home in front,” Carberry said.
“He (Bolger) has been a massive supporter of mine and obviously I wouldn’t have had all the Cheltenham winners without him or JP (McManus) so I’m very grateful.
“Obviously Noel Meade is a massive supporter and was very loyal to me the whole time and Gordon Elliott, too.”
She said she would continue to ride out at Ballydoyle, adding she hoped to see plenty of women continue to make their marks in the riding sphere.
“I think it’s great to see the likes of Rachael (Blackmore), Katie O’Farrell and Lisa O’Neill and all the girls in England that are doing very well and hopefully a few more girls will join in,” she said.
“It’s not that I have anything against the boys or anything but the girls are well able to put it up to the lads!
