'It's time for me to move on' - Gold Cup-winning jockey Bryan Cooper retires aged 30

Gordon Elliott has hailed Bryan Cooper as a "brilliant jockey and a natural horseman" after the rider who steered the trainer's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Don Cossack to victory in 2016 announced his immediate retirement at the age of 30.

A son of dual Cheltenham Festival-winning trainer Tom Cooper, the jockey burst on to the scene in the 2010-11 season when he was crowned champion conditional in Ireland with what was then a record tally of 37 winners. He claimed his first Grade 1 in February the following season on Benefficient in the Deloitte Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown.

In a statement released on his Twitter account, Cooper, who had been booked to ride at Cheltenham last week for Willie Mullins, Joseph O'Brien and his father but was replaced on those mounts, said: "After much careful thought and consideration for some time, I am officially announcing my retirement from race riding with immediate effect."

He added: "I've been lucky to have had a wonderful career over the past 14 years as a jockey. To my family, the owners, trainers and stable staff who have supported me throughout my whole career, I can't thank you enough for some incredible days.

"It's time for me to move on to the next chapter in my life and I'm looking forward to seeing what the future holds for me."

Cooper was one of the most stylish riders in the business and it was at the 2013 Cheltenham Festival that he really showcased his precocious talent with three winners, including on the exciting but ill-fated Our Conor in the Triumph Hurdle for the late Dessie Hughes, who gave Cooper his start in racing.

The following January Cooper was hired as Gigginstown House Stud's retained rider, replacing Davy Russell, and the combination's finest hour came with Don Cossack's memorable Gold Cup victory. However, Cooper endured more than his share of injuries.

Elliott said of Cooper: "Bryan was a brilliant jockey, a natural horseman. We had some terrific days together and I will never forget Don Cossack winning the Gold Cup for as long as I live. He was flawless on him that day. It was the day that mattered most and he was always in the right place at the right time. I will be forever grateful to him for that.

"I'm sure no matter what he goes on to do in the future, he will be successful at it and I wish him the very best of luck."

Bryan Cooper: "A great rider who got to the top of his profession at a very young age"Credit: Alan Crowhurst

A Tralee native, Cooper rode his first winner for his father Tom, aboard Rossdara at Clonmel in October 2009. He had a major setback at the 2014 Cheltenham Festival when suffering a horrendous leg break, fracturing his right tibia and fibula in a nasty fall from Clarcam in the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle that ruled him out for seven months.

Cooper finished second to Ruby Walsh in the Irish jockeys' championship with 94 winner in the same year as his Gold Cup triumph. He rode two winners at the 2017 festival, Apple's Jade in the Mares' Hurdle and Road To Respect in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Handicap Chase, before losing his position as retained rider to the O’Leary’s in July of that year.

Eddie O'Leary of Gigginstown House Stud echoed Elliott's words, and also noted Cooper's luckless experience with injuries.

O'Leary said: "Bryan was a great rider who got to the top of his profession at a very young age. He was so unfortunate with injuries and he got a bad break off Clarcam in the Fred Winter, which was very tough.

"He still managed to recover from that and come back better than ever to win a Gold Cup for us on Don Cossack. Even this year I thought he was back riding as well as ever. He's a serious talent.

"Whatever he wants to do in the future, I wish him the very best of luck and I'd like to thank him for everything over the years."

Without Gigginstown's patronage, Cooper struggled to maintain a similar level of success. However, he developed a good partnership with trainer Paul Nolan that led to Grade 1 glory on Latest Exhibition at the 2020 Dublin Racing Festival, and at the end of that year, back at Leopardstown, he bagged the Racing Post Novice Chase on Franco De Port for Willie Mullins. More recently he was closely linked with Noel Meade's stable.

Cooper retires having ridden the winners of 36 Grade 1s and nine Cheltenham Festival winners. He partnered 532 successes over jumps and one on the Flat. The last of his 26 victories this season came aboard the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Wa Wa at Leopardstown on March 6.

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