Adrian Heskin, who became the youngest winning rider at the Cheltenham Festival when steering A New Story (Ire) (Fourstars Allstar) to victory in the 2010 Glenfarclas Chase as a 17-year-old, has announced his retirement from race-riding at the age of 32.
The County Cork native went on to become retained rider for prominent owner Barry Connell, for whom he partnered Martello Tower to Grade 1 success in the 2015 Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, before later moving to Britain to take up the same position with Max McNeill. Together the pair enjoyed several big-race victories, most notably with The Worlds End (Ire) (Stowaway {GB}), who struck at the top level in the 2017 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree and the 2019 Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot.
After parting company with McNeill last year, Heskin made the decision to return to Ireland where he enjoyed a notable victory at Limerick over Christmas when winning a Grade 2 aboard the Willie Mullins-trained Hauturiere (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}). However, that was one of only four winners for Heskin in Ireland last season and he has now taken the decision to call time on his career in the saddle.
In a statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Heskin said, “After 15 years of race riding I've decided to call an end to my career.
“I'm very proud of my career and achieved far more than I could have imagined as a kid. I rode for the best of trainers on both sides of the Irish Sea and some fantastic owners along the way. Of course, some amazing horses too.
“My love for horses is stronger than ever and I owe everything I have to them. Here's to the future.”
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