Jockey Richard Hills ends racing career

Top English jockey Richard Hills decided to retire by the end of the current 2012 Dubai World Cup Carnival after 33 years in the saddle. According to Ali Al Muhairi, UAE racing manager of Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of finance, the English jockey has submitted official request to end his racing career as a rider. Interestingly, Hills has set a new A/W track record after the Englishman partnered veteran Kandar Du Falgas to victory in the 1400m Purebred Arabians Bani Yas Group-2 at Meydan Racecourse on Friday. Richard was born on January 22, 1963. He’s a twin brother to Michael Hills and their father Barry Hills is a retired prominent racehorse trainer. He rode his first winner, Border Dawn, at Doncaster Racecourse on October 26, 1979. His first Group-1 winner was Ashal in the Ascot Gold Cup in 1990. He became the second jockey of Shaikh Hamdan in 1995 and was promoted to first jockey in 1997 following the retirement of Willie Carson. Hills won the English Guineas on three occasions for Shaikh Hamdan. He partnered Harayir to victory in 1995, followed by Lahan in 2000 and Ghanaati in 2009. In 2002 he won the 2000 Guineas with Haafdh in 2004 who has also led him to win the Champions Stakes which he has already won with Nayef in 2001. This is in addition to the Coronation Stakes, Dewhurst Stakes, Falmouth Stakes, International Stakes, July Cup, Middle Park Stakes, the Oaks, Prince of Wales’ Stakes, Queen Elizabeth Stakes and St. Leger Stakes. Hills’ biggest successes in Dubai came when he won the Dubai World Cup in 1999 with Al Mutawakel and the Dubai Duty Free Stakes with Al Tibr in 1999 and the Dubai Sheema Classic with Nayef in 2002.