'I'm ready to try something new' - Page Fuller ends riding career after run of injuries

Jockey Page Fuller said she was "ready to move on and try something new" after announcing her retirement from race-riding on Sunday.

Fuller has suffered a run of injuries and setbacks in recent seasons and her decision comes after a fall at Plumpton on March 13, in which she was knocked unconscious.

An important member of Jamie Snowden's yard in Lambourn, Fuller rode her first winner under rules in the 2013-14 season and retires with 108 winners over jumps and one on the Flat in Britain.

Her biggest win came for Snowden when she guided Anythingforlove to success in the Grade 2 Jane Seymour Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Sandown in 2021. 

"I want it to be a positive change of career," said Fuller. "I had a fall at Plumpton about three weeks ago, which was the first fall I'd taken since my stroke, and was knocked out for three minutes. I don't know what it was, but I came round and went, 'I'm ready to try something new' and that's what I'm hopefully going to do."

Fuller, 27, overcame great adversity to return to the saddle in February after suffering a frightening mini-stroke during a race at Fontwell in September last year. She lost the vision in her right eye and had spasms in her right arm as she rode Touchthesoul in a 2m2f handicap chase, but managed to negotiate the first fence despite her limited vision before pulling up her mount.

The stroke was believed to have been caused by either an earlier fall or a culmination of whiplash injuries, which can cause a tear to the artery in the neck which in turn creates a clot that can cause a stroke.

Fuller said she had no regrets coming back from that significant setback but believed now was the time to try something else. 

"I've no regrets and actually it made me realise how glad I am that I did come back," Fuller told Luck on Sunday. "A lot of me had reservations that medically I wouldn't be able to come back. For me, I really wanted to get back and still felt I had something to prove. I still felt I could get my career back on track and that I could progress.     

"Success at that point was just getting my career back on track, but when I came back it was such a struggle and felt like I was pushing water uphill. I had broken my wrist at the meeting at Plumpton where I had my fall the year before, and so it's my third time on the sidelines in the past year – I wasn't getting anywhere. 

"I want to be successful and progressive and, unfortunately, however much I've built a career for myself I'm really proud of, right now I think I'm ready to move on and be progressive at something else."

Fuller described her time in the saddle as a rollercoaster ride and one she wouldn't have swapped for "the world".  

She added: "I had the most amazing time. I couldn't recommend it more and it's been the most ridiculous rollercoaster ride. I've ridden in Belgium, France, Germany and Abu Dhabi, and that was just in my amateur days. Then I turned professional and was riding at the [Cheltenham] festival and on those massive days and riding big winners. 

"I wouldn't have swapped it for the world and I'm so grateful. I can't believe it was reality. Hopefully it's given me the grounding and made me into a much better, stronger, resilient person who can go on to do something else."

Although she has yet to decide what long-term future might look like, Fuller's boss Snowden was pleased to hear she plans to stay within the racing industry. 

"I want to say a big thank you to Page," said the trainer. "She's been a big part of our team for ten years. She came up through the ranks and was a dual champion amateur who turned conditional and rode more than 100 winners. 

"She rode us a Grade 2 winner at Sandown and Cheltenham winners, and she's been a big part of the team for the majority of my career. She's been brilliant in the yard as well, educating young horses and getting them jumping. The early education of young horses is all important and she's been a big part of that. I think she's going to continue to help us in that department and will continue to be a big part of our team.

"She's a very intelligent person and that will serve her in good stead going forward. We've spoken at length about the need to keep retired jockeys within our sport, they've got so much experience and it's great she's keen to stay within the industry."

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