'It was a bit of a shock, I won't lie' - Sean Flanagan on Noel Meade sacking

Sean Flanagan has spoken of his disappointment at Noel Meade's decision to sack him as stable jockey in favour of using the best available, but said he will be forever grateful to the trainer for getting his career back on track and propelling him into the big time.

The 33-year-old confirmed to the Racing Post that he was no longer number one at the famous Tu Va stables in County Meath following seven years with Meade.

Flanagan filled the void left by Paul Carberry, who broke his leg in September of 2015 before retiring the following August, and he rode five Grade 1 winners for Meade during a seven-year stint that also saw him land the Liverpool Hurdle in 2018 on the Henry de Bromhead-trained Identity Thief.

Flanagan told the Racing Post: "I'm not with Noel anymore. He told me he wanted to use the best available this season so that was that. It was a bit of a shock, I won't lie to you, but look, that's racing and you have to take these things on the chin.

"Noel has been unbelievable for my career. He took a chance on me seven years ago and I will never ever forget that. He got me going and we had some unbelievable days together, and even winning the Paddy Power on School Boy Hours over Christmas was a magic day. We won a lot of big races together and the five Grade 1s were mighty days."

Sean Flanagan in happier times with Noel Meade and Damien McGillick after Road To Respect won the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in 2019Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Explaining the decision not to use Flanagan as his stable jockey this season, Meade said: "I just wanted to change a few things around and I thought that certain jockeys suited certain horses and I wanted to try that. I have no doubt Sean will ride for me again and I wish him every success in the future.

"There is no falling out or anything like that. Sean is a lovely fella and I have nothing but good things to say about him."

The aforementioned Paddy Power success on School Boy Hours came just six weeks after Flanagan had broken his back. He fractured vertebra in a schooling fall in November but made a miraculous recovery to get back in time for the festive period.

Three of Flanagan's five Grade 1 wins for Meade came on board Road To Respect. He won what is now the Savills Chase at Leopardstown in 2017 before going on to land the Ladbrokes Champion Chase at Down Royal in 2018 and 2019.

The pair first teamed up for victory at the top level when Disko won the Flogas Novice Chase in February of 2017, while their fifth and final Grade 1 together was Jeff Kidder in the Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle at the Punchestown festival in 2021. The previous month the same horse won the Boodles Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham at 80-1.

'I enjoyed every single second of it'

Flanagan said: "Road To Respect was a proper Grade 1 horse and a top staying chaser. He was a brilliant horse on his day and I loved riding him. We got on great together. Disko never really got the chance to show what he was made of but had so much potential, while Jeff Kidder just came good last spring and kept on improving. I know he was 80-1 but I actually knew going over to Cheltenham that he had a great chance.

"Noel was very good to me over the years and I rode a lot of classy horses for him. I enjoyed every single second of it and wish him every success in the future. We had seven of the best years of my life together and I will always remember what he has done for me and my career."

Sean Flanagan set to return just six weeks after breaking his back

Flanagan is freelance now and his appetite for winners has never been bigger.

Of the future, he said: "I'll be riding for whoever wants me. I'm going to put my head down and work hard and see where that gets me. There are plenty of stables I am riding out in and hopefully I can pick up a nice few winners this season.

"It's obviously a new challenge for me and not having the security of riding Noel's horses will make life tougher, but I'm looking forward to the next few months and seeing what lies ahead."

Read this next:

'We're really fired up for it' – Micky Fenton to become Flat trainer in Ireland

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.