'You miss the craic but I still get some of that in the building trade' - the Ascot Chase-winning rider now working as an electrician

The Ascot Chase always triggers fond memories for retired jockey Mark Bradburne, who recorded the biggest success of his career in the Grade 1 in 2004 aboard the Henry Daly-trained Hand Inn Hand.

Bradburne rode more than 350 winners, including two at the Cheltenham Festival, before his retirement in 2011 after 15 years in the saddle, and he now works as an electrician and jockey coach based in Lambourn.

"I remember it being a wet day at Ascot and the ground was a lot softer than it will be this weekend," said Bradburne. 

"Hand Inn Hand was a good jumper but tended to rush his fences, which is why we decided to try to put him to sleep out the back, otherwise he'd just bulldoze them.

"We took him schooling the morning of the race to take the edge off him. He had so much ability and if you saw him schooling at home he could have been a showjumper because he was so good and accurate. He was a bit of an enigma really. He was my Grade 1 winner and it was a privilege to be able to ride him."

On the trajectory of his career more broadly, Bradburne added: "I had one of those careers when I placed in a lot of big races like the Grand National and Hennessy. It could have been brilliant, but I'm very happy with how it all worked out in the end."

Mark Bradburne (left) with George Baker and Harry Skelton at the Lester awards in DecemberCredit: Dan Abraham

The 48-year-old trained as an electrician while still riding, and said: "What most jockeys miss when they retire is the craic, which is a bit of a tired expression, but you get a bit of that in the building trade so it's quite fun, and I still get to do a lot of work in the yards in Lambourn and further afield.

"Towards the end of my career the jockey coaching course came up and I was one of the first to complete it. I'm not working for the BHA at the moment, but I still coach point-to-point jockeys and anyone else who wants a hand, which I very much enjoy."

Read more:

'No Marcus, you're riding Geos ' - Nicky Henderson called it right for Foley in 2004 

Mark Dwyer thriving in retirement and back in Dublin for 30th anniversary of Jodami's Irish Gold Cup hat-trick 

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