'I want to do other things for a while' - Keith Dalgleish to hand in his licence

Record-breaking Scottish trainer Keith Dalgleish has announced he is set to quit the profession this year.

He stressed that he is giving up to spend more time to enjoy life, rather than for financial reasons, and added that he may return after taking a career break.

Dalgleish has been based at Belstane Racing Stables in Carluke, South Lanarkshire since 2011 and has broken the record for most winners in a Flat season by a Scottish-based trainer five times since 2014.

He has won 799 races in total on the Flat in Britain and 153 over jumps, becoming the first trainer north of the border to send out 100 winners in a calendar year in 2017.

He sent out his ninth Listed winner when Prince Of Pillo scored at Ayr last autumn but he said on Tuesday: "I'm going to stop training this year. I haven't set a date, I've just told my owners and my staff it will be some time in 2023. We're not too far off 1,000 winners so that might be a good time to go out.

Prince Of Pillo won the Harry Rosebery Stakes at Ayr for Dalgleish last SeptemberCredit: John Grossick (racingpost.com/photos)

"Some have been surprised but people change path all the time in every other walk of life. I don't see the big deal. 

"I want more time to myself and my family, there is no other reason than that. I know others have been going out of the game because they haven't had enough business but it's nothing like that."

Dalgleish, 39, started in racing as an apprentice with Mark Johnston and won nearly 300 races as a Flat jockey, including two at Royal Ascot and a German Group 1 on Yavana's Pace.

But his 6ft frame made weight a serious issue and he retired from the saddle at the age of just 21.

"I've been really lucky," he said. "I've had some great support, great owners and great success and I've really enjoyed it. But training racehorses is very much a 24/7 job and I just want to do other things for a while. 

"I want to be able to do some travelling. I took up cycling during lockdown and fell in love with it so I'll do plenty of that and I have quite a few sheep who need looking after so I'll do that too.

"But I may come back in a few years' time, I'll see how it goes."

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