Paul Hanagan takes up assistant trainer role to close friend Craig Lidster

Two-time champion jockey Paul Hanagan, who retired in August after a quarter of a century in the saddle, has taken up a new challenge after becoming assistant to up-and-coming trainer Craig Lidster.

Hanagan, the British champion Flat jockey in 2010 and 2011 and winner of more than 2,000 races, is reforging links with Lidster as the pair worked together at Richard Fahey's stable in Malton.

"I'm assisting Craig and it's working out well," Hanagan said. "I do about four days a week there and I'm trying to help him as much as I can. We go back a long way and we're good mates. He was at Richard Fahey's and he actually led me up on Wootton Bassett when he won the Group 1 Lagardere in France [in 2010]."

Hanagan's successful alliance with Fahey led him to a job as retained rider for owner Hamdan Al Maktoum, for whom he notably won the Oaks and King George on Taghrooda and the July Cup on Muhaarar.

The 43-year-old is looking to impart his extensive knowledge and experience to Lidster, who trains at Eboracum Racing Stables in Easingwold near York.

The yard, owned by Steve and Wendy Burdett, has grown in stature since Lidster's arrival nearly two years ago with last year bringing 26 winners.

"You couldn't get a more hard-working guy than Craig and he's a bit like me in that he's come from the bottom and worked his way up," Hanagan said. "He's got a chance and has taken it with both hands.

"I've been blessed to have been in some of the best yards in the country and I can safely say that the stable is bang up there – it's a first-class facility."

Craig Lidster: sent out 26 winners last yearCredit: Craig Lidster: sent out 26 winners last year

Lidster, who had a few rides under rules himself, spent eight years as travelling head lad with Fahey before going it alone in 2021. He views Hanagan's arrival as a bit of a coup.

"He wanted a new adventure and I bent his arm up his back to come to me," said Lidster. "He's got the knowledge and the contacts. If he's riding a horse on the gallops, he'll know what type of track it might want and how best to ride it. Also, he'll try to entice new owners into the yard and help the business grow.

"My landlord has put money into the yard and the business and looking at it this year, we could end up full up with 60 horses."

Since retiring, Hanagan has fulfilled the role of racing director for The Good Racing Company, founded to raise funds for worthy causes through the sport and the organisation behind former rugby league star Rob Burrow's racing club, which has raised nearly £200,000 for motor neurone disease charities.

Hanagan's two positions overlap as Lidster trains two horses for the syndicate including Alfa Kellenic, who became the first winner for Hanagan's racing club when scoring at Newcastle on Wednesday.

Asked whether his move is a step towards becoming a trainer in his own right one day, Hanagan replied: "I certainly wouldn't say no and put it out of the equation, but I'm quite happy with the way things are now. Assistant trainer is just like being a trainer really, and I like the way things are going and don't see why I would change it.

"It was marvellous the other day having a first winner for my syndicate with just our third runner and I want to help Craig, the yard and The Good Racing Company by showing everyone how well we're doing."

Read more . . .

Paul Hanagan: 'I went into yards when I got the Hamdan job and could tell right away they didn't want me' 

'You can either be a drunk or a jockey' - the warning that made Paul Hanagan 

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